It's well documented that charter schools often succeed where ordinary public schools have failed. See for example, last week's article in the Rocky Mountain News, which reports that many of the top performing schools in Colorado are charter schools that set high standards. (hat tip: Joanne Jacobs).
All across the country, public school bureaucrats and teacher union treasurers are soiling their underpants when they read such news, as they contemplate a mass exodus of students, teachers and dollars from the failing public school monopolies to independently run, higher functioning and largely non-union charter schools.
Forty of the fifty states permit charter schools. Teacher union pressure has so far prevented Washington students from having access to charter schools. This may soon change, as the state legislature will consider a bill in January to permit charter schools. After several years of trying, it looks like the bill will pass this session, but it will be close.
Unfortunately, the newly inaugurated loony-toons members of the Seattle School Board are digging in their heels and taking a formal position against charter schools. This is not only a stupid position to take but also a waste of the School Board's time, as charter schools are an issue for the state legislature to resolve, not for local school boards.
No surprise that the board members are justifying their irresponsible behavior by citing a teachers' union "research study" that discredits charter schools. It's a shame that the Seattle School Board is more interested in protecting the teachers' union than they are in offering promising alternatives to badly-served students.
For more information on the Washington charter school legislation, visit the Educational Excellence Coalition. If you live in Washington be sure to contact your legislators and encourage them to support charter schools. If you also live in Seattle, contact the school board members and encourage them to get back to work for our public school kids.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at December 18, 2003 11:36 AMSeattle at it's finest. How many more generations will we sacrifice in the name of political orthodoxy. The recently released pathetic statistics on Seattle public school drop out rates in the same news cycle is an ironic symbol of the bankruptcy of ideas of the Seattle School Board and the voters who put them in office.
Posted by: Gary B on December 21, 2003 10:57 AM