Imagine...the Illusion; Or, How to Sell a Turd

A recent announcement in a Florida paper is a glowing piece of corporate charter school PR spin. Imagine Schools - the for-profit corporation backed by various real estate investors - is described as "a public, tuition-free charter school." It's certainly tuition-free - but it's hardly a public school. Better yet, the announcement describes the school as a place where "leaders aim to create a culture that asks parents, teachers and students to work together to make decisions." At the end of the day, however, the most important factor is Imagine Schools and it's real estate leeches that ensure financial gains; education is a distant second in this greedy quest. It shouldn't come as a surprise that Imagine Schools has spread in Jeb Bush's Florida.

From the Herald Tribune (FL):

New year at Imagine

Published: Sunday, September 27, 2009 at 1:00 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, September 25, 2009 at 6:02 p.m.

For its second school year, Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch opened its doors to more than 400 students in voluntary prekindergarten through seventh grade.

At the school, leaders aim to create a culture that asks parents, teachers and students to work together to make decisions.

Enrollment has increased from 57 students at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year to 430 this year.

Imagine School at Lakewood Ranch, a public, tuition-free charter school, is part of the larger Imagine Schools, which operates 73 schools nationwide and 17 in Florida.

There will be an open house from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the school, 10535 Portal Crossing, Lakewood Ranch. For more information, call 750-0900 or visit www.imagineschoolslakewoodranch.com