Healey pushes for charter school funds

BOSTON (AP) - Former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey is stepping back into the public spotlight.

The Republican's 2006 gubernatorial candidate sent out an e-mail on Friday urging Massachusetts to lift its cap on charter schools. She is now director of the pro-charter Pioneer Institute.

Healey says that with President Barack Obama setting aside $4 billion for charter school expansion, Massachusetts should try to get as much of the funding as possible.

She says "the Legislature is holding back, afraid of political retribution by the unions."

After losing to Democrat Deval Patrick three years ago, Healey spent time teaching at Harvard and later working with women from Afghanistan on the legal system in their country.

She considered but decided against running for the Senate seat vacated through the death of Edward Kennedy.