Buck Financial Blog

College Education beats a $15 minimum wage – The Charter School Advantage

Posted on: September 10th, 2020

But you wouldn’t know that from reading the Democratic Party platform.

Yet another study, for which a link to an article about is included below, shows that charter schools do better than unionized schools, and in particular they do better educating African American children.  As other studies have shown, a college education is worth up to $1.4 million more in lifetime earnings.

Yet the Democratic Party continues to do the teachers’ union bidding by throwing up roadblocks to charter schools, all the while touting their low-income bona fides by talking up a $15 minimum wage.  Charter School students make up 6% of public school students, up from 2% a while ago, which is why the unions have become more aggressive – charters are hitting their pocketbooks.  (As most readers know, charter schools typically are not unionized.)  As anyone who has read my posts knows, public sector unions like the teachers union and police union perpetuate a conflict of interest by making political contributions to candidates, and then negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with those elected.  Its no coincidence that these unions are strongest in geographies where the Democratic Party is strongest.

Joe Biden’s educational plan is outlined in a video at the bottom of the article whose link is shown below.  It’s scary to think of its potential consequence for charter schools and the minority students they are serving so well.   I urge folks to read the article and the study, and to watch the video.  For a party that purports to be on the side of the little guy, the Dems sure are hiding it well.  For the record, I am an Independent who believes we need political reform in the worst way – that neither of these parties are serving the public’s interest.  But, working in the education field, the worst hypocrisy that I see comes from the Democratic Party because of the contradiction between their narrative of supporting low income and minority communities versus the reasons for their stance on public educational choice.

You often hear a debate about whether Black Lives Matter or All Lives Matter.  My take is: All Black Lives Matter!  The trauma against the African American community perpetuated by generational poverty resulting, in part, from lack of educational alternatives is more pervasive than almost any other source of violence.  After more than 20 years of progress in the charter school movement, these students cannot afford to take step backwards because of dislike of the current Administration (which is easy to have).  The party needs to hear that African Americans, Biden supporters, never-Trumpers, and all support choice when it comes to education. Because its working, and all Black lives should matter.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-charter-school-advantage-11599606404?mod=opinion_lead_pos6