[speedgibson] Speed Gibson: Non-Compete Clauses

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Posted by Speed Gibson:
Non-Compete Clauses
http://speedgibson.powerblogs.com/posts/1237648753.shtml


   It's back again in 2009, a proposed limit on the Charter school
   movement in Minnesota. This attack comes from the DFL of course, no
   doubt a direct order from Education Minnesota. Oh, they're all for
   competition, but only on their terms. Ignore those markedly better
   test scores you see in the newspaper. Better you should be concerned
   about the occasional lapse in procedure or accounting at this or that
   charter school, which of course you don't see at the public schools.
   An unattributed account from [1]District 279 United says that the
   Senate will takes up a bill next Wednesday to all but outlaw any new
   Charter schools. I was unable to locate the specific bill on the
   Legislative web site, but here is what District 279 United reported:
     * Only two new (not-yet-approved) charter schools would be allowed
       to open in the entire state before Fall 2011. Currently, there are
       152 charter schools open and 6 more that are already approved to
       open, leaving slots for only two more schools in Minnesota.
     * On a permanent basis, no new charter school could open within the
       boundaries of a consolidated school district, a dissolved school
       district, or within a 1 mile radius of any closed district school,
       for 36 months from the date of consolidation, dissolution, or
       closure.
       Given the large numbers of urban, suburban and rural district
       schools that are expected to close over the next decade, this
       provision would make it very, very difficult for many charter
       schools in districts across the state to find a facility--large
       parts of cities like Minneapolis and St. Paul, for example, would
       become no-go zones for new charters for 3 years at a time.
     * Minnesota would lose at least an estimated $20 million, and
       possibly $40 million or more, in Federal charter school start-up
       funding. With a cap in place, Minnesota would jeopardize its
       eligibility for these funds, which are designated for new charter
       schools' planning expenses ($540,000 per school over 3 years).

   The irony is that the DFL is attacking the very system championed and
   implemented by the late DFL Governor Rudy Perpich and now embraced by
   President Obama, also a Democrat.
   In fact, Obama is as far left as Democrats come, the least likely to
   rock the teachers union boat. And yet, as District 279 United quotes
   the President, [2]Obama is (so far) doing just that:

     "Right now, there are caps on how many charter schools are allowed
     in some states, no matter how well they are preparing our students.
     That isnât good for our children, our economy, or our country."

References

   1. http://www.district279united.com/d279u/
   2. http://www.publiccharters.org/node/784