New anti-Rector flyer bruits his vote on charter schools
Thomaston — A new political flyer about state Sen. Chris Rector, R-Knox, labels him to be someone who has "sold out kids" and who wants to turn public schools "into profit machines for corporations."
The advertising message in the flyer cites Rector for having "sold out our kids and our economy by voting to use taxpayer dollars to privatize our schools."
On the flip side of the flyer, there is a photo of an elementary school-age girl sitting in front of the principal's office, which has been renamed the office of the "School CEO."
The flyer is paid for by the Citizens Who Support Maine's Public School PAC, located at 35 Community Drive, Augusta, which is also the address of the Maine Education Association, the labor union for Maine's teachers. A call to the MEA phone number will get one through to Rob Walker, the PAC president.
The flyer lists Rector's vote for the Maine's new charter school bill, L.D. 1553, in June 2011. That bill set the stage for charter schools, which subsequently included for-profit virtual schools, a proposed plan to create taxpayer-funded virtual schools in Maine.
Rector said he assumes the flyer to be an attempt by his opposition "to seat one of their own," because in his case the opposition is state Rep. Ed Mazurek, D-Rockland, who is a retired high school teacher.
Walker, however, said, in a phone interview, the greater concern to the MEA is about Rector's support of charter schools and the implication of their being a vehicle for electronic "virtual schools," which once again this year are attempting to enter Maine. The 2011 charter school bill has given virtual schools an inadvertent foothold, Walker said.
The charter school bill opened the door for two private virtual schools, K12 Inc. and Connections Academy, trying to come into Maine, he said.
Rector believes a flyer like the one used against him became possible after the Jan. 21, 2010, U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC. The decision made it legal for the first time in decades for corporations, including nonprofits, trade associations and for-profit corporations, "to pay for advertising that explicitly encourages an audience to vote for, or against, a particular candidate," according to the Wikipedia website.
"This [kind of] advertising is one of the elements of politics that I find pretty challenging," Rector said.
William Jones of Hope, a Knox County Budget Committee member whose wife, Judith Jones, is with the Maine Association of Charter Schools, said the framers of the charter school bill had not intended "to have a window for virtual learning in the bill."
"We wanted the bill to be bi-partisan, and the Democrats wanted to put virtual learning in the bill," said Jones, who works with his wife on the project.
"We have discovered that virtual learning is much more complicated than anybody realized," he said.
The digital education movement is an outgrowth of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's Foundation in Excellence in Education, according to the MEA's white paper, "Virtual Failure: The Growth of Online Charter Schools." which says that Gov. Paul LePage has been influenced by the Florida organization in creating his own digital learning executive order.
Jones said he is "disappointed that the teachers' association seems to be so negative about charter schools."
Walker said the MEA's opposition to private charter schools is their willingness to employ non-certified teachers and their use of money from existing local school budgets.
"Our concern that students will not receive the highest quality education available to them if they 'attend' virtual schools cannot be overstated," according to the MEA in its introduction to its white paper.
While the MEA acknowledges that "e-learning," or electronic distance learning, may have a place of importance in supplementing classroom activities, the virtual classroom should not "supplant the value that student and teacher interactions provide."
The MEA is also opposed to spending "taxpayer dollars" on virtual schools that are out-of-state corporations, according to the organization's white paper.
Courier Publications reporter George Chappell can be reached by phone at 207-594-4401, ext. 117, or email at gchappell@courierpublicationsllc.com.
I am proud to have Chris Rector as my State Senator and will vote for him again on Tuesday. I am appalled at these ugly opposition ads.
Lis there have been two articles on Jeff.
Happily, I've not seen this particular flyer. In the interest of bipartisansip, though, prior to the election I hope to see articles about other fliers that are being sent out about local candidates. For instance, I have received two that denigrate Jeff Evangelos. Will we see an article about these, as well?
What I believe Chris Rector is trying to do is hold teachers and schools accountable for their ability to teach and the scores of their students. Maine ranks 27th in the national rankings. The charter school option gives parents and their children a way to get the best education.
I have been an undecided voter for more than a few candidates this year. It is low-ball negative and misleading attacks like this, however, that make me angry. Just a heads up to those spending money on such ads...this action does not bring in undecided votes. To the contrary. I don't care who stoops to such tactics, any political party, be mindful that negativity can be damaging to your candidate. When will special interest groups promote their own good points to sell their principles and ideas, rather than denigrate their competition by negative fact jumbling? We, the voters are bombarded by petty bullies trying to see who can harm their opponent with the most vitriolic criticism. All reason is lost on twisting and skewing an adversary's point of view. What are we teaching our children? I've decided to vote for candidates with positive attitudes, who will tell me what they will do, and will (try to) ignore the less ethical mudslinging bullies who print this sort of drivel. Enough already!
Wow...how low can the Democrats go...Mazurek has done absolutely nothing for District 47 for years and now he wants to do nothing as Senator...Wow.