What’s wrong with the NY Times article, “Profits and Questions at Online Charter Schools”?
Let me count the ways:
1) Alex Molnar — used as an expert. Has been a known ideological opponent of reform since I was in college. Literally. Crazy man. Has no academic standing.
2) Gary Miron — a little better and sometimes a fairly good researcher, but who’s devoted a lifetime to studying for-profit companies, always with a slant as to how they hurt charter schools. Not much credibility here, either.
3) Jack Wagner — PA State Auditor, who wants to be governor some day with the support of the teachers union. Has been saying for years that having charter schools funded from same pool as other public schools is unfair. Strike 3
4) Lawyer for school districts used as a source
5) By page 5 (online), we still haven’t heard from someone with a different point of view. Now the NEA is being used as a source for policy and data.
6) CREDO — Yep, that study. Too bad there’s no corollary provided. More on that here and here.
6) Reagan. Had to bring him up. PR guy for local Ohio choice group used to work in that Administration. Clearly this is all the former president’s fault!
And this reporter won a Pulitzer Prize? Obviously, it’s not just the education system that’s been dumbed down!
For the facts on online learning, check out the Center for Education Reform’s Digital Learning Toolkit.
For another analysis on the story, visit this post on Getting Smart.