Indiana Gov Mitch Daniels Wants Public Schools to Give Away Property to private charter operators

"If any school district in this state is sitting on perfectly useful school buildings that it isn't using and doesn't have any prospect of needing, people say, 'Well, they should have to sell them. They refuse to sell them; they should have to sell them'," Daniels said. "Sell them? Hell, they should give them away. The public already paid for them once."

Daniels cited the Gary Community School Corp. as an example in his remarks. When he visited KIPP LEAD Charter School in April, Daniels noticed the Gary charter school had to move a meeting to a nearby bakery because the school didn't have a room large enough to accommodate the group...

Gary School Board President Kenneth Stalling said he understands the criticism that the board isn't moving fast enough to sell the buildings, but he emphasizes the buildings are far from move-in ready.

"Some of these schools, the property is more valuable than the buildings sitting there," Stalling said. "We can't stop the legislature from passing a law, but when you come in and tell us to just give them away, that doesn't make sense."


http://www.post-trib.com/news/lake/2436336,new-skulsales0623.article

this is a *big* factor in some areas -- speculators are salivating over well-sited land held by districts.

even in slumped areas, giving away land & buildings to private operators, even allegedly "not for profit" is ridiculous.

form a property management business and rent the buildings out to their own schools at ridiculous rates. Have the state cut rent checks on buildings they owned free and clear.

...as the charter schools continue to siphon off dollars on a one-for-one basis while cherry-picking only the best students, the public schools are left holding the bag with all the special needs students in it.

This house of cards is destined to fail. Our public schools are the backbone of American education.