Parents call on state to revoke charter - The Boston Globe:
"GLOUCESTER - Angry parents staged a boisterous protest in front of City Hall, where the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held a special meeting yesterday to discuss its approval of a new charter school during which a top education official apologized for sending an e-mail last February that ignited controversy."
Children chanted “CSO Said No Go,’’ a call to the state’s Charter School Office not to recommend approval of the new Gloucester Community Arts Charter School, a recommendation that was disregarded by the board that approved it last winter.
Parents held signs that read, “Do The Right Thing Revoke,’’ and “Charter Group Tells Tall Tales,’’ in a spirited protest that prompted state Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester to briefly address the crowd of about 30 people, who believe the charter approval process was politically motivated.
“All I can tell you is that for me . . . my calculus was based on one thing, the merits of the application,’’ Chester said, speaking calmly surrounded by protesters.
The meeting was scheduled to review the process the board used to approve the charter for the school, which proponents said is needed to provide an alternative form of public education for Gloucester families. The elementary school would provide an arts-based curriculum and would be located downtown, where many of the city’s economically disadvantaged students live.
“Gloucester suffers, just as much as other [communities] with an achievement gap,’’ said Amy Ballin, a charter school organizer. ’’ A significant population of our children is being underserved.’’
The gathering also provided a forum for state Education Secretary Paul Reveille to address the contents of an e-mail he sent Feb. 5 to Chester, which opponents say shows the charter was approved to further Governor Deval Patrick’s education reform agenda, rather than for sound education reasons. Patrick has since twice called on the board to review its decision.
During the meeting, Reveille apologized to anyone in Gloucester who may have been offended by the e-mail.
"GLOUCESTER - Angry parents staged a boisterous protest in front of City Hall, where the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education held a special meeting yesterday to discuss its approval of a new charter school during which a top education official apologized for sending an e-mail last February that ignited controversy."
Children chanted “CSO Said No Go,’’ a call to the state’s Charter School Office not to recommend approval of the new Gloucester Community Arts Charter School, a recommendation that was disregarded by the board that approved it last winter.
Parents held signs that read, “Do The Right Thing Revoke,’’ and “Charter Group Tells Tall Tales,’’ in a spirited protest that prompted state Education Commissioner Mitchell D. Chester to briefly address the crowd of about 30 people, who believe the charter approval process was politically motivated.
“All I can tell you is that for me . . . my calculus was based on one thing, the merits of the application,’’ Chester said, speaking calmly surrounded by protesters.
The meeting was scheduled to review the process the board used to approve the charter for the school, which proponents said is needed to provide an alternative form of public education for Gloucester families. The elementary school would provide an arts-based curriculum and would be located downtown, where many of the city’s economically disadvantaged students live.
“Gloucester suffers, just as much as other [communities] with an achievement gap,’’ said Amy Ballin, a charter school organizer. ’’ A significant population of our children is being underserved.’’
The gathering also provided a forum for state Education Secretary Paul Reveille to address the contents of an e-mail he sent Feb. 5 to Chester, which opponents say shows the charter was approved to further Governor Deval Patrick’s education reform agenda, rather than for sound education reasons. Patrick has since twice called on the board to review its decision.
During the meeting, Reveille apologized to anyone in Gloucester who may have been offended by the e-mail.