In Philadelphia The BRCM Can Fail Black Students At Martin Luther King Jr High And Not Worry About Losing Their Jobs

Phila Inquirer: Annette John-Hall: Getting the King charter story right

From The Article:

That's when Mayor Nutter finally released the report by the city's chief integrity officer, Joan Markman, that detailed all of the shady shenanigans pulled during the charter school selection process at Martin Luther King High School.
Let's face it, as imperious as you were at times, Queen Arlene, you were no match for the Godfather (State Rep. Dwight Evans) and his consigliere, Robert L. Archie Jr., the former School Reform Commission chair who doubled as your boss.
By now we know the tawdry tale of how Evans and Archie tried to pressure you into rejecting a recommendation by students and parents at Martin Luther King High to award a $50 million contract to Mosaica instead of Foundations Inc. King, you see, was part of Evans' "overarching plan" to create a "Northwest Education Corridor," and he and Foundations were already partners in other schools.

With all due respect, Mrs Hall, the saga of Martin Luther King High School in Philly goes far beyond the contract corruption associated with the selection of a charter school operator.   It is more accurate to note the failed state of the school's operation that mandated the school system to seek out a new plan for the schools governance.   THIS  is the real story.

For more than 30 years the people of Philadelphia had been promised the delivery of a first class school product in exchange for their support for the machine that was assembling power over the school system.

While former school superintendent Dr Alrene Ackerman got fired by the Philadelphia School Reform Commission - the community that is being failed by the ENTIRE COLLECTION of these operatives have not yet made their imprint upon the situation sufficiently.

They are quite well aware that a protest is not going to fix this complex, long running saga.

I am still not convinced that they are not more appreciative to State Senator Dwight Evans for attempting a "hookup" for the $50 million contract to a favorable institutions than they are angered at Evans and others for failing to govern the school system's resources in a more competent manner as a means of producing better results.