JU President Tim Cost avoids answering questions about Education Submit

JU's president Tim Cost was on First Coast Connect today and after he mentioned the neutrality of the upcoming Public Policy Education forum I called and asked the following questions.

First I don’t think it should be lost on anybody that the forum takes place when most parents and all public school teachers cannot attend, the fact that not one participant actually ever taught in a Duval Public school and the panel is dominated by Gary Chartrand the controversial chair of the state board of education and his surrogates. Two members of JPEF, one of KIPP another who worked for the Foundation for Education Excellence, Jeb Bush’s arguably anti-public education advocacy group, and even commissioner Pam Stewart owes her Job to Gary Chartrand

My questions are has Gary Chartrand donated to Jacksonville University and if so has that donation led to the one sided choices.  

Why aren’t parents and teachers those most affected by education policies involved.

Finally the panel seems to have just one voice representing corporate style reforms, does, JU think it is good public policy to ignore different points of views.

He then promptly dodged the questions, though he later said JU would have no reason not to be honest and prevent both sides of the argument.  

The problem is JUs deeds don't match up with his words. The public policy forum set for Tuesday is completely one sided representing the corporate/privatization agenda. In his defense the winds are blowing that way but that doesn't mean its right or "good policy"to ignore the voices that would rather improve than replace our public schools.