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Dori: Donations to Supreme Court justices prove corrupt system
Sep 9, 2015, 2:06 PM | Updated: Sep 10, 2015, 5:24 am
A student peers outside the front door of Olympus High School in Tacoma, one of three charter schools opening in Tacoma this year. A national advocacy group is calling on Gov. Jay Inslee to order a special session of the Legislature so lawmakers can change a charter school law declared unconstitutional. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools said Saturday that nearly 1,200 students will be forced out of their current schools unless lawmakers take action. (AP)
(AP)
The decision by the Washington State Supreme Court to rule charter schools unconstitutional may prove just how corrupt it is.
Looking at public disclosure records, KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson found that the Washington Education Association, a plaintiff in a case against charter schools, was a contributor to a number of court justices. That means that the group benefiting from the ruling is also giving money to the people making the rules.
“What makes this so disgusting is the amount of money WEA has given directly and indirectly to the Supreme Court justices,” Dori told Rep. Matt Manweller (R-13th District).
Related: Is this the civil rights issue of our time?
It’s “checkbook justice,” Manweller responded. “The best decisions money can buy.”
On Friday, the court ruled 6-3 that charter schools are unconstitutional. The ruling overturns a law voters approved in 2012, which allows for privately operated schools to be publicly funded. Those involved can ask the court to reconsider, but, as of now, the ruling will become final near the end of September.
The numbers Dori had didn’t even “scratch the surface” of the amount of money the WEA has contributed, Manweller explained.
Though he understands donations are free speech, Dori said he is concerned with how the court is ruling. There should be very little room for subjectivity, however, the court seems to be ruling on behalf of one of its biggest donors.
“It’s an absolute conflict of interest,” Manweller agreed.
Exactly what will happen now is not completely known, although if the charter schools close, more than 1,000 students will have to transfer to new schools. However, one Seattle charter school remains open and is operating as a home school.
