Charter Schools...

As a teacher in a traditional public school, I am not a huge fan at all of the whole Charter School idea. I am not a huge fan of huge amounts of money of other resources being poured into these charters, where that same amount of money and energy could have gone into the improvement of the traditional public school the students are leaving. I use the term "traditional" because charter schools are public schools (sort of).

In Philadelphia, as in other large urban areas nationwide, there appears to be a brouhaha over the conversion of the traditional public school to these charter schools that tout themselves as having superior academic programs to those of the traditional public school. I pause and I wonder. What is it that you are doing, oh Mr. Charter School, that is so drastically different from what we are doing? Mrs. School Head, why is it that we cannot implement some of these same "superior" academic programs in our traditional buildings? Why is it, too, that we seem to receive students back in our traditional school buildings who, for whatever reason, didn't last in your charter school? I pause and I wonder. Are you able to keep the students who are the "creme of the crop" and send the "others" back to us? Is that why you appear to be so successful? I wonder.

I believe that parental involvement and caring educators are two very large keys to the success of students no matter where they are! The charter schools with which I am familiar often have these "hours" that parents must put in or there would be repercussions. So parents scramble to fulfill these "hours" requirements. Why couldn't that parent be just as involved in So-N-So Elementary School where their child once went? Wouldn't that school be better if each parent put in their "hours" at So-N-So Elementary and there be no need to open up a charter school? Hmmm!

Just wondering???