The false equivalency of taking money from unions as opposed to charter schools.

When speaking to Scott Shine about taking money from charter schools then potentially voting to benefit them, school board member Jason Fischer chimed in, what about taking money from the teacher unions and potentially voting on things that would benefit them.

I believe there is a false equivalency here.

First unions are not for profit, many charter schools are. Nobody is getting rich in the teacher unions but plenty of people are getting rich off of charter schools. Charter schools have used lots of money to craft policies that benefit them. 

Next unions are not given a fee to manage money as some non-profits are. Typically non-profits are paid 3-6% of a grants over all value to manage the money. That’s one of the reasons I am concerned about the JPEF managing the QEA grants. I believe it opens the door to them managing and taking cuts of public money

Finally often the relationship between districts and unions have become adversarial but that’s not how it is supposed to be. Boards are supposed to represent, teachers as much as they represent students because the fate of both is completely linked and I think that is often lost on them.

In short if somebody gives you money and there is the prospect of them benefiting financially down the road from a vote you may cast I think that’s wrong and to compare charters to unions is wrong too.