Pro-charter group praises Aubertine in mailer

Education Reform Now, a Brooklyn-based public education advocate, sent mailers Tuesday to 48th Senate District residents which applaud Sen. Darrel J. Aubertine, D-Cape Vincent, for supporting legislation that increases the number of charter schools statewide.

Charter schools are a contentious issue, in part, because their teachers are not required to unionize. But increasing the number of charter schools was needed to make the state eligible for $700 million in federal Race to the Top funding, forcing legislators to decide between powerful teachers unions and a possible panacea to their budget woes.

Mr. Aubertine has broken with the New York State United Teachers several times, which is one reason why the group has not endorsed him in any of his prior Senate campaigns. NYSUT has joined with the United Federation of Teachers and the Alliance for Quality Education to send mailers to Mr. Aubertine's constituents in an attempt to pressure him to help reduce the amount of the proposed cut to education. So far, the Senate version of the cut remains at $1.4 billion.