Arkansas Educator Volume 41, No. 1

Page 6

BUYING ARKANSAS’S SCHOOLS Inside the web of Arkansas’s School Privatization Empire A free quality public education for every child is a foundational principal of American society and a right guaranteed by Arkansas’s Constitution. Everyone in this state, regardless of religion, race, income, disability or any other characteristic deserves an equal opportunity to learn and succeed.

MANHATTAN INSTITUTE ARKANSAS POLICY FOUNDATION STATE POLICY NETWORK

Unfortunately, a vast network of corporate interests and wealthy individuals are chipping away at this bedrock of our democracy in an effort to turn public education into a marketplace where private interests can profit off of our students.

WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION

Across the nation, states have implemented and expanded charter schools that are unaccountable to the public and voucher programs that have siphoned off public taxpayer money to pay for private school tuition. This powerful and well-funded effort is nationwide, but one of the biggest contributors is based right here in our state, and each year the network of privatizers working in Arkansas is growing. This network uses pass through organizations to fund a swarm of lobbyists and spend dark

5

ARKANSAS EDUCATOR

aeaonline.org

ARKANSAS DE

TRACE STRATEGIES LAURIE LEE

ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAN EDUCATORS

ARKANSANS FOR EDUCATION REFORM

ASTA

ARKANSAS LEARNS


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.