Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Seattle Schools Community Forum: My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative

Seattle Schools Community Forum: My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative:


My Note to KUOW about the Charter Initiative

Just listened to Shannon Champion from Stand for Children talking about the charter school initiative on The Conversation.  A couple of things:

- go back and listen to the tape.  She didn't answer virtually any of the actual questions that Ross asked.  You might want to keep that in mind going forward on this issue.  You won't get a straight, precise answer to questions like his question "can anyone open a charter school?" and the answer is "yes, anyone who follows the application process and has the background to open one."  She dodged that one.

- I have gone thru the initiative (versus the charter bill legislation which is its template) - some interesting changes/additions/deletions but plenty for folks to have concerns with including the very controversial parent/teacher "trigger".

- There will be organized opposition to this measure should it qualify for the ballot and it will NOT just be the