Traditional allies at odds over charter schools

Mar 13, 2010 — Richmond Times-Dispatch

Olympia Meola

Mar. 12, 2010 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- An unusual alliance between the Virginia Education Association and the McDonnell administration on education reforms has alienated some of the teachers group's most loyal political supporters.

And as the administration's education agenda sails through the General Assembly -- thanks in part to the VEA's stamp of approval -- the dismay is building.

"We feel as though we've been stabbed in the back," Sen. Mamie E. Locke, D-Hampton, said in an interview yesterday.

Del. James M. Shuler, D-Montgomery, blurted in a committee meeting that he was "shocked" and "appalled" by the VEA's support of the bills, and Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, recently exclaimed on the House floor that the VEA "sold out."

The politically powerful association, which represents about 60,000 teachers and support staffers, long has shared a core belief with the Democrats and the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus: staunch advocacy of public education.

It's a relationship that has secured legislative support for teachers and, in turn, backing for candidates. Upset lawmakers say they can't ever remember an issue driving such a wedge between them.

But opponents of the governor's measures supporting charter schools say it's not the time to add new kinds of schools that will pull money away from traditional K-12 public education when lawmakers are cutting public-education funding.

Robley Jones, veteran lobbyist for the VEA, acknowledges the strain. VEA also opposed Gov. Bob McDonnell's legislation when it first was introduced, in particular, the charter-school bill, which originally shifted the power to grant charter-school applications from local elected school boards to the gubernatorially chosen Virginia Board of Education.

The day after the governor's education-reform agenda was announced, the VEA and the Virginia School Boards Association joined in a news conference to blast the legislation as unfair and unconstitutional.

Not long after that, supporters of the legislation invited Jones and Patrick Lacy, lobbyist for the school boards association, to discuss the bills. What came out of about 40 hours of deliberations was a charter-school bill that left final say with local school boards.

Changes also were made to the governor's other two bills involved -- to create a framework for approving online class providers for public-school children and creating a path to open college-partnership lab schools.

Jones and Lacy say they felt a responsibility to work on the bills when asked.

"It's damned if you do, damned if you don't," Jones said. "If we were sitting down being quiet not doing the best to represent our members, no one could call us out."

Lacy said they were faced with bills that were unacceptable, were invited to the table and "frankly, on the charter-school bill, we felt like we did a pretty dadgum good job."

McDonnell spokesman J. Tucker Martin said the governor appreciates "the cooperation and strong input" from the VEA on the his education package.

"They put students, teachers and parents in front of politics," Martin said. "For that, they should be commended -- not condemned."

Virginia already allows charter schools. Under the compromise bill, the state Board of Education would vet the applications before they get to the local school boards. If the local board rejects the request, the applicant could seek assistance from the state again before reapplying.

Some see that as a way to screen for poor applications before the local school board has to deal with them. Others see it as pressure on the local boards.

In a floor speech urging a vote against the charter-school bill, Locke said it "flies in the face of the VEA billboard on Interstate 64 that proclaims that children are being robbed because of budget cuts, yet they will allow those same children to be robbed of what limited resources remain."

While the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus came out against all three of McDonnell's education bills, some caucus members supported them, and some even sponsored the legislation in the House. And not all Democrats opposed the measures.

"I'm disappointed, because I think we provided them with leverage and we sort of had our legs cut out [from] under us," said Sen. A. Donald McEachin, D-Henrico. "Just because you're invited to the table doesn't mean you have to agree with the end product."

Spruill said the VEA usually will communicate with the caucus on its positions.

"We stood by them, and they sold out," he said. "The governor sold them a bill of goods.

"From here on out, every issue we're going to look at," he said. "And we're not going to be afraid to say no to them, as well as yes."

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Contact Olympia Meola at (804) 649-6812 or omeola@timesdispatch.com.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0177-42857363