State Controller Tom DiNapoli is using his political office to target charter schools through audits despite a court ruling stating he lacked the authority to do so.
DiNapoli has targeted twelve charter schools since 2011 and is now auditing a Success Academy elementary school in Harlem, asking the school to disclose payroll records, board members’ outside business interests and three years’ worth of meeting minutes.
DiNapoli’s audits are political for two reasons according to a recent opinion piece in the NY Daily News:
“First, DiNapoli does not audit traditional public schools individually. Second, he announced his first charter audits at a meeting of the New York State United Teachers, which loathes charters because most are not unionized. His audience heartily applauded.”
