Union Accuses Charter Operator of Skirting Ohio Law

The Ohio Federation of Teachers, long a vocal critic of charter schools, issued a report last week that portrays one for-profit charter operator in the state as far more concerned about making money than improving student learning. It argues that the schools it operates are nothing more than a “chain of company stores” in violation of state law.

The analysis follows a series of reports that the Ohio affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers has written in recent years criticizing White Hat Management Inc. The privately held Akron-based company operates 34 charter schools serving some 16,000 students in Ohio, as well as 20 schools in other states with 6,000 students.

“This report shows clearly that [White Hat Chairman] David [L.] Brennan has been allowed to circumvent numerous state laws, and that profit, not helping children learn, is the primary motive,” said OFT President Tom Mooney in...