Corporate Charter Schools Hijacking Public Funds

   While I realize I will ruffle the feathers of a few public school supporters by posting my analysis of "who's on first" or "just who is on which team", I think I'll post it anyway. Please bear in mind that it is just my opinion... based on solid evidence.
   In a Tulsa World article by Andrea Eger on November 5, she uncovers possible evidence of collusion between the State Board of Education and State Department of Education, with the Oklahoma Public Charter School Association (OPCSA). She writes "A draft of a possible settlement in the statewide charter school associations lawsuit shows that the state Board of Education could have agreed to certain charter schools having new access to public dollars that currently only go to traditional public schools. Eger goes on to state "Charter schools say they are due an equal share of revenues from Oklahoma's gross production, motor vehicle, REA tax, state school land earnings, and county tax collections, which currently flow only to traditional public schools."
   OK, so the charter school association, whose members are mostly out-of-state corporate charter schools, sued the state Board of Education (SBE) for more money, made up mostly of local and county tax collections. The collusion or conspiracy to acquire more local tax dollars for corporate charter schools is evident, as both parties (the SBE and the OPCSA) tried to keep the settlement secret, by denying its existence (lying). One hint of collusion or conspiracy (not the illegal kind) is to deny a relationship exists. When asked about the settlement, state education officials denied the existence of any such settlement agreement. Brad Clark, the SBE's attorney, said "What agreement?" when The Tulsa World asked him about the document. Steffie Corcoran, spokeswoman for the Oklahoma State Department of Education, said "I did not know there was one". Then Clark interjected: "Not that I'm aware of. We're very perplexed." And then, after being shown the document, state education officials would not take questions...
   My analysis of the facts of the charter school settlement:
The state Board of Education and State Department of Education officials believe it is always better to lie when asked about incriminating evidence of SBE collusion with corporate charter schools. If the deal is on the up and up, why not just speak the truth? There has been hints of SBE favoritism towards corporate charters all along though, as it overruled the Seminole local board in starting a corporate charter in Seminole last year. Even the State Department of Education supported the charter school takeover in Seminole, by voting against the local Seminole Board of Education. I don't care how you slice it, if the deal smells like a rat, it probably is a rat. And there probably is "a fox in the henhouse".
   I'm now expecting to hear from all those public school supporters who truly believe the SBE and SDE support our traditional public schools. Please rationalize your objection to my opinion, though, as it will be easier for me to see the error in my thinking...