Comments on: Meridian Rings Bell On North Star Charter

By: sarahelizabeth

sarahelizabeth — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 02:37:10 +0000

I for one am glad this school is finally coming down to its end. I’ve been attending this school since 1st grade and what started as a really strong school, crashed after changing principles twice more. I watched the school start out strong and have smart determined kids to having druggies, trash and “ghetto” children in it. they have poor security. no dress code or cameras. which is a hazard, there have been so many kids expelled the last two years for sexual harassment and cyber bullying and drugs that I am glad its going down.

By: Kevin S. Wilson

Kevin S. Wilson — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 18:55:48 +0000

To clarify a comment by slfisher, who writes “Not to mention that one of the people involved with North Star is himself a legislator and on the education committee, which really seems inappropriate to me.”

Republican Representative Reed DeMordaunt is a founder of North Star Charter School, along with his wife Gayann DeMordant. Rep. DeMordaunt is the chair of the House Education Committee and co-chair (with Sen. John Goedde) of the legislatively appointed interim committee charged with researching this summer ways to improve K-12 education. Gayann DeMordant recently ended her second term as a commissioner on the Idaho Public Charter Schools Commission, in which role she approved applications for charter schools and reviewed charter schools for adherence to state law. Both she and her husband claim not to have served on the board of directors for North Star for “several years” now.

By: Momma bear

Momma bear — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 14:22:54 +0000

Is there anyway to obtain financial records on charters? Who the “latest real estate scheme” financiers are? I have seen the place on Cloverdale that you speak of Chicago Sam, not sure it’s a school? But, since the state was putting on workshops on how ANYONE can start a charter school, Idaho is a prime place to come. Gulen charters are the biggest charters in the USA. Family visas are provided to foreigners that “invest” in education. Here is a site that is trying to expose Gulen charters. http://turkishinvitations.weebly.com/list-of-us-schools.html Utah has a known Gulen charter, and Idaho seems to follow suit with the state of Utah when it comes to education.
But, regardless of what charter we speak of, it is a money making scheme, and I do not support them. But, when you have a superintendent of schools that does, that follows U.S. secretary of Ed’s, Arne Duncan, that supports charters. The only thing we can do as people, is to keep educated. Clearly, something Tom Luna does not want. Goal of using the common core state standards, for Race to the Top funding, is to close the lowest performing schools, based on testing, and open up charters to replace them. It is already happening in other big cities in the U.S. http://www.broadeducation.org/asset/429-arrasmartoptions.pdf

By: chicago sam

chicago sam — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 23:08:57 +0000

Mr. Gaurdian
Your reference to the Gulen schools and their Muslim influence remind me of Sen. Hill, McKenzie and McGee and their trip to Turkey a couple of years ago. It is a movement very opposed to our culture. Do you have any information on the Muslim school on Cloverdale road and how it is financed?

EDITOR NOTE–Didn’t know there was such a school and don’t have any info on financing.

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:06:51 +0000

Privitization of prisons and schools is wrong and counterproductive, not to mention more expensive.

By: chicago sam

chicago sam — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 08:28:37 +0000

To say that the legislature is responsible for the spread of charter schools is ignoring the problems associated with the public schools and type of education they are receiving. The public is voting with their feet and charter schools and home schooling are the beneficiary. Most reported failures of charter schools revolve around mismanagement of money and please don’t tell me that public schools are immune to mismanagement. I live in the Nampa school district.

EDITOR NOTE–Sam, check out any or all of these search hits and then tell me if perhaps it explains why so many of your Idaho Legislators go on free junkets to Turkey.
http://www.google.com/#output=search&sclient=psy-ab&q=gulen+schools+in+america&oq=gulen+schools+in+america&gs_l=hp.12..0i22i30l4.1495.1495.0.4554.1.1.0.0.0.0.239.239.2-1.1.0…0.0…1c.2.18.psy-ab.zMt7CegopFc&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48572450,d.cGE&fp=77b1638b0f3e5c6f&biw=1120&bih=805

Folks are being manipulated by special interests of all kinds and the Gulen movement is just one. The group gets charter school laws passed which give public money to the special interest and they use that as political ammo to get a similar law passed elsewhere. (“Even conservative Idaho has a friendship resolution with Turkey and approved our charter school bill”) Give a free trip to a legislator and you get support for publicly funded Islamic schools.

By: tom

tom — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 02:31:48 +0000

Why don’t the rich in eagle just pony up the cash?

By: Rod in SE Boise

Rod in SE Boise — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 16:36:43 +0000

Every child should attend a fully funded public school. Every child. Fully funded.

By: slfisher

slfisher — Wed, 26 Jun 2013 15:18:05 +0000

Not to mention that one of the people involved with North Star is himself a legislator and on the education committee, which really seems inappropriate to me.