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Governor Paul LePage blasts charter school commission

AUGUSTA (WGME) -- Governor Paul LePage came out swinging Wednesday, just one day after the state's charter school commission rejected four out of five applications for new charter schools. The governor is calling for the people on the charter commission, who rejected the schools, to resign.

The governor also blasted the Maine Education Association and the Maine School Board Association Wednesday, saying those special interest groups are meddling where they shouldn't be.

Wednesday’s press conference comes after the charter commission rejected four applications for new charter schools on Tuesday. The governor thinks charters schools could help turn around Maine's education system, which he says is failing. He sees the rejection of the applications as a failure of the commission to do their job.

Gov. Paul LePage: “The charter commission I've asked them to resign and I think that is appropriate. They are not able to do the work so they ought to leave and give the opportunity to somebody who can.”

Jana Lapoint, chair: “You have to go slowly.  You have to feel that what you've done is the right thing to do.  And sometimes that may, in the governor's eyes, seem to be making us move slowly.  But again, I think with four schools potential within our first year, i don't see that as going slowly at all."

The commission did approve one charter school plan to move forward. It's one in Harpswell. The charter commission consists of seven members, appointed by the Maine State board of Education.Governor Paul LePage blasts charter school commission

Thursday, January 10 2013, 12:21 PM EST

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