by David Safier

I'm an [almost] equal opportunity skeptic about the economic and political corruption related to charter schools. Case in point: Chicago's United Neighborhood Organization charter schools, their crony-laden construction contracts and all-too-close connection to Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) got a $98 million state grant to start up charter schools. That in itself seems like an inordinate amount of money for the state to give to a charter school. But i...

by David Safier

Imagine Schools, the charter school corporation with more schools than any other charter organization (including more than a dozen in Arizona), may not be too big to fail in Indiana. Three of its schools were shut down because of lousy performance. But it's too . . . I don't know, too charter . . . to pay back its loans. The schools borrowed $6.3 million in startup costs from the state, and they still owe $6.28 million. Indiana lawmakers are thinking about wiping the slate clean ...

by Pamela Powers Hannley

HB2645, which was advanced by the Arizona Senate this week, would allow churches and religious schools to avoid paying unemployment tax for teachers and day care workers. Passed by the Arizona House in March, this bill would deny unemployment benefits to these workers if they were laid off or if the institutions closed.

Republicans, conservative groups, and religious schools are backing the bill. According to ABC Channel 15, "The measure marks the latest Republican-led ...