Save Our Schools DC - Coalition Statement

In light of the hearing held on the closing of the schools on January 14th it has become obvious, to our ever-growing coalition, that there were never any real criteria for closing the schools; that the people of DC were never consulted about the closures; and most importantly that Rhee's ultimate plan will inevitably result in the conversion of the traditional public school system into a charter school system.   Rhee and Fenty have not been shy about showing their cards on this issue - their meetings with Charter school movement leaders have been publicized in the mainstream press (Washingtonian Magazine, Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, and the Sacramento Bee).

The people have spoken: all but one of the 60 witnesses that spoke at the hearing were against the closure of the schools. In light of these revelations and in light of the reactions of Rhee and the ill informed council, we offer these new distilled demands:

•       It has been two years since we, the people, have won the money to modernize our schools. We demand that the mayor speed up the modernization of our schools rather than exploit their state of disrepair to justify the closure or privatization of our neighborhood schools. We demand that the council finally put some effort and innovation into getting our schools improved through the use of the modernization funds that we won. We suggest that they start moving resources in a way that serves the health of the community rather than the corporate economy. What we ask is that they put in the effort that they put into the stadium into our schools.

•       No school closures should be allowed until all city agencies are moved into publicly owned buildings including schools with "excess" space. Schools should be utilized to host wrap-around agencies that are utilized to develop social and welfare services for the city. This has become more urgent in light of the tragic death of the Jacks sisters. Basic innovations such as moving the staff and office from 825 Capitol Street into Public School Buildings that are being underutilized, can save the public 7.5 million dollars in annual rent that is presently going to the private sector rather than to the preservation of our neighborhood schools.

•       The siphoning of resources from our traditional public schools by Rhee, our council members and by the charter schools must be stopped immediately. Our representatives must draft legislation to stop this long standing loophole which has allowed charter schools to dump unwanted students on traditional schools without the funding following them and to cherry pick students and parents leaving the traditional public schools with "problem" students. This has resulted in extra financial burdens and disruptions that the charter school movement lobby has in turn used as proof that our school system is failing. This demand is in line with documented promises made by Rhee at a town hall meeting.

•       No school closures or consolidations should be allowed until there is a cap on charter schools. This cap would be in line with the moratorium that ex-superintendent proposed at the end of his term. Charter schools were supposed to be laboratories of innovation but instead they have become laboratories of privatization. In 2006-07, only nine of 43 schools chartered by the DCPCSB made AYP. Charter schools are not getting the same kind of scrutiny or held to the same accountability standards as traditional schools. We cannot proceed in good faith until this glaringly obvious bias is eliminated.

•       We now know that Fenty and Rhee's project is not about closing schools, because charter school expansion is being allowed and charters can open up to 20 schools per year. If Fenty and Rhee were really concerned about such things (mentioned repeatedly by Rhee's supporters in the hearing) as square footage and funding then they would start closing failing charter schools too and put a moratorium on the further expansion of charter schools - be it on new territory or on the campuses of other traditional schools. Institute coordination between the two unequal and separate school systems that you have created. Fenty/ Rhee want to close schools in one system and allowing the other to open. One system is draining the resources of the other. This lack of regulation is a playing havoc with our children.

Unlike our council members we have researched the issue and studied cases in other cities such as Dayton Ohio where the rampant expansion in the charter school movement has destroyed the public education system. We will not be buying this scam and our council members will not gain our trust until they do their homework on this subject and present arguments that are as informed, sensible an scientific as our own.