A labor union leader questions Gov. Bruce Rauner’s advocacy for “local control” in encouraging him to change the state’s charter school commission.

Illinois Federation of Teachers president Dan Montgomery says he’s not calling for charter schools to be abolished in Illinois, but instead wants them to return to their original purpose: to serve as “innovation labs” to test out new ideas for traditional public schools, not take their place.

That mission may prove difficult under Rauner, a well-known advocate of charter schools, but Montgomery says one change to the Illinois State Charter School Commission would fit within Rauner’s views.

The commission is able to overrule local school boards’ rejection of charter applications, which Montgomery thinks goes against Rauner’s calls for voters to have more say in how their local government operates.
When asked by a member of the audience if Montgomery had interest in running against Rauner in 2018, he laughed and said no.

In other State news, Frank Mautino must have felt like Tom Sawyer, watching his own funeral.

Lawmakers gave him a near-unanimous send-off to a new job as auditor general, a watchdog position being vacated by the retiring Bill Holland. The ten-year term protects the person in that office from possible retribution, allowing Mautino to report his office’s findings without fear or favor.

Mautino, a longtime lawmaker who succeeded his father in the Illinois House in 1991, has served on the Legislative Audit Commission, for many years as its co-chairman.
While ten Republicans – all in the House – saw fit to vote against Mautino, the vote was still a bi-partisan show.