Senator Harr, the NSEA, and Citizens for a Better Tomorrow

Nebraska State Senator Burke Harr recently appeared in a documentary funded by the Sherwood Foundation's NELovesPS (Nebraska Loves Public Schools), and the following is a clip they posted to YouTube.

In the clip, Senator Harr doesn't seem entirely comfortable talking about charter schools or the achievement gap. He seems to be refuting the idea that charter schools are effective at erasing and even reversing the achievement gap. Instead of offering evidence, he talks vaguely about good teachers and good principals getting parents more involved in education. Perhaps he doesn't give evidence because there doesn't seem to be any empirical evidence that charter schools are ineffective in erasing the achievement gap. Of the 23 empirical studies conducted to date (meaning they use research comparing a test group to a status quo group), 22 of the studies have found that school choice improves outcomes at public schools. 

Maybe NELovesPS figured it was enough to include him downplaying the success of charter schools because he's a senator.

But how did he get to be a senator?

The public school monopolies across the state know that in order to keep sole control over their systems they have to keep the legislature from passing school choice legislation. Harr's 2014 race was especially interesting because he was running against Gwenn Aspen, an unabashed advocate of school choice.

Between March 5th and September 18th of 2014, the Nebraska State Education Association (the state teacher's union) gave Burke Harr's campaign $15,030.08. The NSEA also contributed to an organization called Citizens for a Better Tomorrow--to the tune of $78,500.00. Citizens for a Better Tomorrow spent more than $16,000 in attack ads on Gwenn Aspen.

If school choice is proving to be so beneficial to public school outcomes across the country, and if the NSEA is truly concerned about education in Nebraska, why do they spend so much money and time fighting solutions that work?

In states like Wisconsin, where public charter schools have been operating for a quarter of a century, politicians have to be very careful about criticizing school choice because they will lose votes. In the future when school choice is available in Nebraska and the achievement gap is actually closing, how will Senator Harr feel about this YouTube video? Will it have been worth $15,030.08 in campaign contributions?

Just a side note in closing: The name "Nebraska Loves Public Schools" is clever. It reinforces the public's misconception that charter schools are not public schools. But don't be fooled. This is an expensive, glossy campaign to hedge up a top-heavy monopoly.