Asking the Wrong Question about Charter Schools
The debate about lifting the cap on the number of charter
schools has been interesting to watch. In this instance Republicans, who have
long favored giving parents more choice in schools, have been willing to yield
to Democrats in several key areas….perhaps they have yielded too far in their
quest to raise the cap.
At the end of the day everyone is asking the wrong question. Democrats maintain that giving parents more options through charter schools will result in public schools left with only economically depressed minorities. Here is the key question. Why?
Why would parents desert their local schools to flee to a charter school that doesn’t have advantages like lunchrooms, athletic programs, media centers and other amenities their public school offers? Are we such a state of racists that we will do anything to avoid integration?
I think not. As a parent my primary job is to advocate for my child and to do what I believe is best to ensure he or she gets the best education possible. The message our education community still hasn’t heard is that in too many instances parents don’t feel the public schools provide that opportunity.
Don’t like charter schools? Here’s the antidote. Make the public schools so great that parents won’t choose charters. That involves reform. And so far educators haven’t embraced or enacted reform.
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Tags: Charter schools public schools public education
You are real close with your speculation. Economic status is the preferred term. Some folks just don't want to go to schools where there is a large lower class element because the efforts at that school have to be more focused on helping them.
And, yes, I think it turns into a downward cycle that segregates on economic status rather than race.
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I agree completely. We have looked at Charters for our children because of the lack of commitment of the administration at our elementary school (ranked an Honor School at that!). Charters operate completely by lottery, so I'm not sure how they qualify as racist. The quality of education presented at charters is far superior to that of the WCPSS. Best thing short of a private school.
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If you only sold lottery tickets in the rich neighborhoods, it is likely that only rich people will win. If you don't offer services that lower income people need-- like transportation , "free and reduced" meals and after school care, they are not likely to apply.
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Amen! Well-said. I'd add that educators are not the only ones who haven't embraced reform, though. I'm ready for state leaders/officials and legislators to embrace real education reform. Will require real courage and focus on children, outcomes and the future, rather than elections.
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Great article. Hopefully our leaders over on the hill will read and consider these issues facing our schools as a whole.
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Frankly the integration argument about charter schools is just a talking point, or more precisely a scare monger point to try and end charter schools. Many of the charter schools are full of minorities escaping the sorry state of public schools today.
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Incoming freshmen to the UNC System (colleges & universities) are normally segregated by two factors: high school standing and race.
About 60% of black students attend a third of the UNC schools.
You have an extremely small percentage of "low-achievers"* being accepted at UNC-Chapel Hill & NC State (1%) and an extremely high percentage of "low-achievers" (from 45-76%) at your HBCUs (black institutions). *Students coming from the lower half of their high school class rankings.
Surprisingly, graduation & retention rates seem to correspond accordingly.
In pro sports, you have a player draft. The really poor performing teams for the year, get first choice at bringing in new talent. This hopefully would bring balance to the system and would level the playing field, giving all teams an equal chance to succeed.
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Then how do you explain the presence of poor and minority students in charter schools today? Many existing charter schools are as integrated as their district school counterparts, and some focus predominantly on lower income students (Sugar Creek Elementary in Charlotte is almost 100% poverty, yet excels academically)?
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