State Senate Undercuts Mayor Control Of NYC Schools Over Charter School Issues

It's interesting how the functionaries of the plutocracy like mayoral control of schools so long as the mayor in charge is pushing their agenda.

But when he's not, they undercut it from Albany:

The state Senate will propose sweeping measures in its budget bill to undo Mayor de Blasio’s ­moves against charter schools, sources familiar with the plan said.

The recommendations — to be released as early as Thursday — include overriding the mayor’s decision to block three of Eva Moskowitz’s Success Academy charter schools from opening in city buildings.

“We’re going to fix this problem,” said Sen. Martin Golden ­(R-Brooklyn).

“We agreed for the first time to provide ‘facilities’ aid as well as operating aid to charter schools.”

Charter schools for the first time would also be eligible to receive state facilities aid. That move is a response to de Blasio scrapping $210 million in construction aid to charters.

Charter schools co-located in city buildings will also be able to continue to expand grades in the future, sources said.

The plan would also increase operating aid.

Another move tentatively being considered for the budget is a recommendation to prohibit the city from charging rent to charter schools.

Charter schools do not operate under the same rules as public schools.

For example, Eva Moskowitz refuses to open her finances to the state comptroller's office becuase she says they do not have jurisdiction over her.

Charters do not have to abide by the teacher evaluation law either.

Many run a selective entrance process and some have been known to counsel out students with low test scores or behavioral problems.

Yet here they are, about to get a lot more state aid (money that will come from the public school budget, btw) even as they get to do whatever the hell they want to do.

And here is the State Senate, staunch mayoral control advocates, undercutting Mayor de Blasio's public school policies simply because they (and Eva Moskowitz) don't like them.

I would imagine some semblance of this bill will pass the Senate and be eagerly promoted by the charter school lobbyist in the governor's mansion.

Will Assembly Dems pass it?

That's the question.

We'll see - but one thing I do know, the next time you see one of these Independent Democrats or Republicans in the Senate talk about the importance of mayoral control of NYC schools, you can throw this at them and say "You mean the mayoral control you support only when it suits you?"

Same goes for the charter school lobbyist in the governor's mansion.