Recent Comments
Re: “Charter schools don't necessarily provide a better education”
I believe my son's education was saved by my ability to get him into a charter school. He had been labelled at an early age in the regular public school. I was being pressured to put him on ADHD medications. He was being punished harshly for minor infractions that other students got a hand slap for, etc. I was fortunate enough to get him into Woods Charter when it was still in the shopping center and an inordinate number of parents started to seemingly equate their new building with it being a real school. It was always a real school. The class sizes were smaller. He got more individual attention. ALL the teachers knew him, not just his teachers. The school wasn't top heavy with administrators. Many administrative positions were held by teachers who still taught. They made due with their much smaller budget than the traditional schools. I saw no waste. Parents were involved. When the school needed something, parents, teachers, students, administration and sometimes people in the community would band together to help the school achieve the goal.
The students may not have had a lot of the extra-curricular activities that a traditional public school offers, but the first goal of a school should be education, right? They did offer basketball, soccer, cheerleading and a band /music option. I'm sure some of this has expanded by now.
It saddens me to read that corporations are trying to get in on Charter Schools for a profit, but I suppose someone is always trying to make a buck, no matter what. I also understand the concern about lower quality schools cropping up. Hopefully the advisory board and folks that are responsible for scrutinizing and approving new charters will rise to the challenge and try to maintain what standards there are.
Re: “Charter schools don't necessarily provide a better education”
my post should read 'before an inordinate number of parents...etc.' sorry about that.