Sometimes I have to wonder if failed gubernatorial candidate and blogger Jonathan Pelto lives in an alternative plane of reality – a reality where the absurd nonsense he publishes actual makes sense.
Unbelievably, over the past few weeks, Pelto has been bashing state leaders, including his favorite target Governor Malloy, for “coddling” charter schools during budget negotiations.
You heard me correctly: Pelto says state leaders are “coddling” charter schools – schools that receive, on average, $2,800 less per pupil than their traditional public schools counterparts.
You’d think if the state was really “coddling” charters, that per-pupil spending wouldn’t have been stagnant for the past two years.
That’s not even the worst of it!
Pelto claims that Malloy and others are “protecting” charter schools by only proposing $2.3 million in cuts.
According to him, those cuts don’t count, since charter school funding was increased last year.
However, by his own logic, traditional public schools funding isn’t being cut either.
Since June’s budget deal increased state education spending by over $50 million, would Pelto consider any cut just a reduction in an increase?
Of course, that’s completely absurd.
The traditional public school funding cuts are earmarked for particular programs. In the same way, the state cutting $2.3 million for charter schools affects student access to charters seats that were supposed to be available.
The truth is, both the budget proposal submitted by Governor Malloy and the proposal submitted by state Democrats cut education funding across the board.
Students at every type of public school will be affected – especially low-income students and students attending urban districts.
Bridgeport, in particular, would be hit hard if these cuts were approved.
Programs on the chopping block include: ABCD, which funds preschool seats in Bridgeport; an after school and summer engineering program for low-income students; and state funding for the Boys and Girls Club.
So, why would Pelto advocate for additional cuts? Especially, more cuts to schools that serve communities already hit the hardest?
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