Jason Fischer sells out public schools.

I find it egregious that school board member Jason Fischer mentioned Student’s First State Quality Report Card in his letter to the editor bemoaning Florida’s lack of financial transparency. Three random teachers at happy hour could produce a document with more validity.

If you didn’t know it Students First is the disgraced former Superintendent of Washington D.C. Micelle Rhee’s group. It’s also known as an astro turf group because it tries to effect policy that generally has very little to do with it’s members. They are also largely responsible for the failed parent trigger legislation of the last two years.

Does anybody find it troubling that Jason Fischer puts so such faith in the report card that just issued it’s second report ever or in Michelle Rhee who has had character and cheating issues follow her? Is anybody else alarmed that a public school board member is so enamored with a pro public school privatization group?

Here are some of the things that Students First advocates for that Florida didn’t do so well in which led to the D+ grade that has Mr. Fischer so upset. We don’t have laws in place that allow the state to take over districts and we don’t have mayoral control of districts. Florida has class size limits for grades above 4^th and teachers have pensions.

It is not a stretch to say that Students First would like to do away with public education and replace it with a mishmash of charters, private schools that take vouchers and kids sitting in front of computers taking tests all day long.

You know what I would like? A school board member dedicated to improving our schools not one who would prefer privatization, large unmanageable classes and teachers who after a lifetime of service are dependent on the stock market for survival.

Chris Guerrieri

School Teacher

Here is his letter: 
http://members.jacksonville.com/opinion/premium-opinion/2014-01-31/story/guest-column-school-board-member-calls-more-transparency

Here is the students first report card criteria: http://reportcard.studentsfirst.org/assets/2014Methodology.pdf