An Answer to the Question Asked by a Teacher
I earlier posted a letter from a teacher who said that charters give ambitious students a chance to escape their low-performing and disruptive peers. The teacher noted that charters recruit the best students in the poorest neighborhoods. How could anyone blame parents who want their children to be surrounded by others who are equally ambitious?
I invited readers to respond. Here is a thoughtful comment.
This reader comments as follows:
That’s interesting, because I thought one of the major apologies for charters was that they would help close the “achievement gap” by taking our neediest students and making them “competitive” with the most well-performing students.
The apologia in this post basically states as a matter of fact a criticism that charter school advocates have long-
I invited readers to respond. Here is a thoughtful comment.
This reader comments as follows:
That’s interesting, because I thought one of the major apologies for charters was that they would help close the “achievement gap” by taking our neediest students and making them “competitive” with the most well-performing students.
The apologia in this post basically states as a matter of fact a criticism that charter school advocates have long-
Bobby Jindal’s Campaign to Smash Public Education in Louisiana
This day, set aside to honor the egalitarian message and life of Dr. Martin Luther asking Jr., is an appropriate time to consider the efforts by Governor Bobby Jindal to dismantle public education in Louisiana and replace it with a free market of choices, one with for-profit schools and no unions.
This plan will benefit the haves while harming the have-nots. It is an affront to the legacy of Dr. King. It will be implemented by people elected with the support of economic royalists. It is the work of elitists who shamelessly call themselves reformers as they grind the faces of the neediest into the dirt.
The Jindal plan includes vouchers, charters, for-profit online schools, and for-profit vendors, as well as a teacher
This plan will benefit the haves while harming the have-nots. It is an affront to the legacy of Dr. King. It will be implemented by people elected with the support of economic royalists. It is the work of elitists who shamelessly call themselves reformers as they grind the faces of the neediest into the dirt.
The Jindal plan includes vouchers, charters, for-profit online schools, and for-profit vendors, as well as a teacher
Jersey Jazzman Answers Another Teacher’s Question
This day on which we mark the life of Martin Luther King, Jr., is an appropriate time to think about our nation’s determination to revive a dual school system in urban districts: one for the “strivers” (the charters, as Mike Petrilliexplained it in a post), and another for the kids unwilling or unable to enroll in a charter school (that is, those who are in public schools).
Yesterday, a teacher asked why parents would keep their children in public schools when charter schools are able to exclude the disruptive kids and provide homogeneous groups of well-behaved students.
Here, Jersey Jazzman adds his thoughts to
Yesterday, a teacher asked why parents would keep their children in public schools when charter schools are able to exclude the disruptive kids and provide homogeneous groups of well-behaved students.
Here, Jersey Jazzman adds his thoughts to
Why You Should Send Your Child to the Local Public School
A reader thought about privatization and offered these thoughts:
“Pride in our School.” The idea behind this comes from the community spirit/commitment necessary to sustain public schools. Call it the social contract. In my small, rural northern California community, two threats to the success (dare I say existence) of traditional public education are: No Child Left Behind (“NCLB”) and charter schools/school choice. Fortunately, NCLB is not long for this world.
My message: send your kids to your local/closest public school, not a charter; second, if you think a charter school or out-of-district school is a good idea, at least try your local public school first. Investigate your local
“Pride in our School.” The idea behind this comes from the community spirit/commitment necessary to sustain public schools. Call it the social contract. In my small, rural northern California community, two threats to the success (dare I say existence) of traditional public education are: No Child Left Behind (“NCLB”) and charter schools/school choice. Fortunately, NCLB is not long for this world.
My message: send your kids to your local/closest public school, not a charter; second, if you think a charter school or out-of-district school is a good idea, at least try your local public school first. Investigate your local
In Honor of the Birthday Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, I am going to quote from one of his famous speeches. The full text of the speech may be found in an anthology titled A Testament of Hope, edited by James M. Washington. I will quote a speech that he delivered to the AFL-CIO on December 11, 1961 called “If the Negro Wins, Labor Wins.”
In this speech, Dr. King shows how closely allied are the labor movement and the movement for civil rights. He
In this speech, Dr. King shows how closely allied are the labor movement and the movement for civil rights. He
Diane in the Evening 1-20-13 Diane Ravitch's blog
Diane Ravitch's blog: File Under “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up” How Do You Answer This Teacher’s Question? by dianerav I am a strong supporter of the public schools and opposed to the “reform” movement attempting to privatize education. I didn’t find your article divisive. But, I do have a question that keeps coming up for me about some of the reasons why charters gain traction. Charters benefit from the real and perceived impact of heterogeneous grouping upon the achievement of more prepared students. Similarly, they score points because public schools are less able to address... more »
