EDITORIAL: State Senator Who Loves To Hear Himself Speak, But Doesn’t Listen (Or Does He)
Thursday, January 28, 2021
The Rhode Island State Senator from Cumberland and Lincoln spoke more than nearly all the witnesses combined in the first hour of a hearing on critical legislation being pushed by Senate leadership to place a moratorium on the expansion of public charter schools in the state.
Labor unions are leading the fight to block additional charter school seats, demanding funding dollars go to traditional public schools instead.
Senator Ryan Pearson seems to enjoy the sound of his own voice. In the course of the Senate hearing, he repeatedly asked Mayor Jorge Elorza about the impact of the expansion of charter schools and how that expansion would impact Providence’s schools and specifically on the budget.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTJust one problem. The State of Rhode Island took over Providence schools — budget and all.
Pearson, who mentioned over and over that he chaired an education review commission that previously looked at the state's school funding formulas, doesn't seem to know that the largest school district in Rhode Island is being run now by the state.
He told GoLocal after the committee hearing that he led the effort to improve financing for improvement to Providence's school buildings -- but also admitted he actually has never visited a public school in Providence.
That might be what you call hands-on pontification.
If Pearson needs a reminder of how bad many of Rhode Island's middle schools are across the state -- SEE SLIDES BELOW
Pearson would be well served to stop talking and try listening.
Perhaps listening to some basic facts -- or from families who wanted to testify in favor of school options besides their district schools, but were relegated to testifying late Wednesday evening, following unions, on a school night.
His campaign finance reports give a peek under the proverbial tent as to who Pearson may be listening to. Pearson has received nearly 100 campaign donations from labor union PACs — he has gobbled up more than $10,000 in labor PAC dollars.
Good for the unions -- they know where to put their money.
Pearson wants to block minority parents in Providence and Central Falls from the opportunity to send their children to charter schools and would rather that they attend inferior public schools — schools that are among the worst in the United States.
Thousands of inner city kids are left on waiting lists and forced to attend schools in which the vast majority of the students are left behind.
Maybe we know who Pearson listens to.
Related Slideshow: Rhode Island’s Worst Performing Middle Schools - July 1, 2019
All numbers have been rounded. Schools listed at those in which the percentage of Fails to Meet Expectations and Partially Meets Expectations Combine for 80% for either English Language Arts (ELA) or Math.
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