The authors report on the latest aggressive attacks on public education with the collusion of government with private interests and what it potentially means for public control.
Many private charter organizations enjoy intimate ties with the state of California. For example, Ben Austin, the head of both Parent Revolution and Green Dot schools—one of the largest charter operators in the state—was until recently the state’s Secretary of Education. Prior to holding this position, Austin was coordinator for the Democratic National Convention and deputy mayor of Los Angeles.
The current mayor of Los Angeles, Democrat Antonio Villaraigosa, operates his own organization of charter schools.