Local Charter School exec John Baker not above paying for influence or being deceptive about success.

Mr. Baker on the board of many charter schools told the Daily Record: We're in our fourth year. We have made some progress, not the progress I had hoped. We were a B-school last year at the middle school. We're a C this year. Our FCAT scores, I believe, are accurate when I say we are among the highest in the Northwest quadrant.

http://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/showstory.php?Story_id=540837

Yes they were a C but they were protected by the Chartrand rule which says school grades can only drop one letter grade, if not for that they would have been a D and yes Gary Chartrand is on the board of KIPP too. I wonder if protecting his beloved school played any role in him pushing this rule through the state board of education.  He also doesn’t mention that in it first year they were the lowest rated school in Northeast Florida. Growing pains I guess.

Then take a look at whom Baker has thrown his money around to in school board races

2014, 500, Shine, 1000 Couch and Willie

2012, 1000, Fischer, 500 Smith Juarez, Cuff, Hall, Barrett, Burney (returned) and Heymann

2010 Cohen, Eric Smith, Fel Lee

He has given money to all the school board  races in each cycle 2010-present and in 2012 he gave money to opponents. Talk about hedging ones bets.