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Wednesday, March 11th, 2015

Walmart lobbyists push bill privatizing Arkansas’ public schools

Author:     Arturo Garcia
Source:     The Raw Story
Publication Date:     09 Mar 2015 at 23:35 ET
 Link: Walmart lobbyists push bill privatizing Arkansas’ public schools
Stephan:   Walmart is an evil corporation, I would never shop there. And they think nationally so I take the situation reported in story as a test case. If it plays in Arkansas expect to see this model of school privatization being attempted through the South. Is it necessary to say that this is being done with the connivance of the Republican legislature, and its Republican governor? This is what the people of Arkansas voted for. Now they will suffer for their folly. Public education has been essential to the process of creating the middle class.
Credit: Shutterstock

Credit: Shutterstock

Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) will back legislation from lobbyists connected to Walmart that would open the door for private contractors to take over management of local school districts, the Arkansas Times reported.

The bill, HB 1733, was introduced by state Rep. Bruce Cozart (R), and was written by Walton Family Foundation lobbyists. Cozart is also chair of the state House Education Committee. The bill was sent to the committee for review on Friday, and needs 11 votes to advance to a vote on the floor.

According to the Times, the bill would establish an “achievement school district” that could include any school district found to be under “academic distress.”

The state education commissioner would then have the ability to “directly operate or contract with one or more not-for-profit entities” to run the district for a 3-5 year period. Individual schools would also be eligible for transitioning to a privatized system, with the rest of that school’s former district potentially responsible for paying for busing and […]

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