Privatizing schools not the answer we want

Susan J. Ward, Las Vegas

Monday, April 4, 2011 | 2:03 a.m.

The latest trend of putting corporations before people is being played out in other states — for example, Wisconsin and Ohio — and is being considered by Gov. Brian Sandoval.

This concept of corporate favoritism allows for the privatization of what once was the publicly funded school system. Privatization places public funds in private/corporate organizations that can dictate school curricula that fulfill corporate needs only.

The track record of privately owned schools (charter or voucher-based) is dubious at best and ripe for corruption. For instance, charter and voucher-based schools nationwide have been forced to close due to misappropriation of funds, sloppy and/or nonexistent accounting practices and failure to reach minimal education standards.

The latter was seen in the U.S. Education Department’s 2003 study showing the private school proficiency testing results are lower than (or rarely equal to) those of the public school system. As an example of failure in corporately funded versus public education, let us not forget the disastrous attempt in California to privatize. The California Charter Academy had 6,000 students and 60-plus campuses that were forcibly closed. We do not need to repeat that here.