Another Stand For Children-Backed IPS Candidate On Payroll of Education Profiteers

The Indianapolis Star has belatedly ran a rather bland story discussing who is bankrolling the campaigns of candidates for the three unpaid school board positions up for election in this November's election. As I previously reported, the campaigns of three Stand For Children-backed candidates, who are also backed by the Indy Chamber, are getting most of their funding from out-of-state education profiteers who are seizing effective control of schools all over the country to use as profit centers for their businesses. Previously, I discussed at-large IPS board candidate Mary Ann Sullivan's long-term work as an education consultant and District 5 candidate LaNier Echols' job as dean of students at an out-of-state managed charter school, Carpe Diem, both of whose employment raises serious conflict of interest concerns. It turns out that District 3 candidate and former IPS board member Kelly Bentley has a serious conflict of interest as well.

According to the Star's story today, Bentley is employed as a consultant for GreatSchools. This is a nonprofit education organization financed, in part, through generous grants from folks like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Walton Family Foundation. High-tech entrepreneur Bill Jackson is the founder and CEO of Great Schools. The purpose of the organization is to inform parents about their choices in educating their children. To that end, its most important function is evaluating and assigning ratings to schools. At-home learning opportunities are also important to the organization. Its board is largely made up of wealthy high-tech entrepreneurs like Jackson who benefit from e-learning investments. It's not a stretch to conclude that Bentley faces a serious conflict of interest in her paid role as a consultant to GreatSchools rating area schools, including IPS schools. Voters need to take into account the fact that all three of these Stand For Children-backed candidates are trying to serve two masters in assuming roles as board members for IPS.