Education is for the masses
By Phyllis Scherrer, SEP candidate for US vice president
As the Socialist Equality Party candidate for vice president of the
United States, I denounce the recently announced plans to convert all
the public schools in Muskegon Heights and Highland Park, Michigan into
for profit charters. These actions represent a new and unprecedented
attack on the right to public education. They are part of a nation-wide
campaign by the ruling class to undermine public schools, spearheaded by
the Obama administration.
In Muskegon Heights, a state appointed
Emergency Manager has used the district’s ongoing budget crisis as a
rationale for turning the public schools over to a for-profit charter
operator. All teachers and staff have been fired and must reapply for
their jobs.
In Highland Park, the Emergency Manager in charge of
the public schools has also proposed turning the entire district over to
a charter operator. All the district’s teachers will likewise have to
reapply for their jobs with whatever company is finally selected.
Michigan
is at the center of attacks carried out across the United States. The
promotion of charter schools is aimed at both attacking the wages and
benefits of teachers, and further reducing the quality of education
available to the vast majority of working class youth.
In Detroit, scores of public schools have been closed and many turned
into charters. The wages and benefits of teachers have been gutted. The
state already has almost one-quarter of the charter schools operating
in the country, with the vast majority being for-profit. A new law
passed by the Michigan legislature exempts charter schools from
collective bargaining agreements in their respective districts.
In
Washington DC the chancellor of the public schools has announced that
the district may close as many as three dozen public schools and replace
them with charters.
