tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post1310441657031014935..comments2024-03-26T07:07:14.304-07:00Comments on Teacher Tom: Say "No" To Charter SchoolsTeacher Tomhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14606781724784785338noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-79673723127529910502012-10-29T20:06:19.947-07:002012-10-29T20:06:19.947-07:00Late comment, but...I have a friend who works in a...Late comment, but...I have a friend who works in a charter middle school in Oakland, CA. Five!!!! members of the staff have been fired thus far, this school year, for striking the children. Now, this school is in a terrible area, where poverty and drugs are endemic and children routinely see people die on their way to or from school--no school, public, private, or charter, could make up for those conditions. However, I think it's a good guess that properly trained teachers, rather than charter-school scripted clones, might be able to find some response to the children's behavior other than hitting them. Poverty is the problem--and charters aren't the answer.Kerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16803069104800007097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-30628105722572218532012-10-29T11:47:18.750-07:002012-10-29T11:47:18.750-07:00To Anonymous - There are no failing schools. Test...To Anonymous - There are no failing schools. Test scores do not show you if there is quality teaching and learning going on. You have to spend time in the schools to see what I mean. Consider the mobility rate of the students. Do all students speak English at home? Are there a number of students who are frequently absent, have health issues, are easily distracted due to problems at home or bullying? Are students getting enough food and sleep? I have come to understand that teachers with best practices will provide the quality teaching and learning, and there still may be poor test scores....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-90237750524308945902012-10-29T05:51:22.717-07:002012-10-29T05:51:22.717-07:00Thank you for this post, it was really eye-opening...Thank you for this post, it was really eye-opening and has given me a different perspective. Before our family moved to Florida (a year ago) I had never not considered sending our son to the neighborhood public school He's only 3.5, but education is something my husband and I passionate about. The problem we face is that many of the schools here are horrible and our particular zoned school doesn't even have recess for the children! I thought that the charter schools or the fundamental schools here could be a better "choice" and I think I have found one school with philosophies I agree with. I have always wanted to be actively involved with his school when the time comes and to advocate for positive changes, but change takes time and I can't put my son in a school without recess. Yes, a lot of the charter schools here are worthless in my opinion, but there are a few gems. I'm not sure of the history of the education system here in FL and particularly our county, but maybe this mess is a byproduct of the introduction of charter schools instead of focusing on improving the public schools. Jefrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07603087902384868829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-57917133959868977502012-10-28T15:11:25.611-07:002012-10-28T15:11:25.611-07:00I have a question that I hope will not come across...I have a question that I hope will not come across as snarky. When you say that charter schools typically under-preform public schools, I assume the standard to decide this is those horrible standardized tests. How then do we know they are failing? Maybe the children in these schools are doing better because, though there scores are lower, they are not victims of drill and kill?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-42199663939884344422012-10-28T13:05:42.844-07:002012-10-28T13:05:42.844-07:00My son is almost 4 so I don't know much about ...My son is almost 4 so I don't know much about Charter schools yet but was starting to look into them, here in San Diego. My understanding is that they are public schools that run on a lottery system. There is a Positive Discipline charter school near my house that I was about to look into. This is the first negative thing I've heard. Are they run the same everywhere? I'm having trouble finding good info on them.<br />KellyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15932919.post-4688012813791315252012-10-28T10:06:04.299-07:002012-10-28T10:06:04.299-07:00Thank you for this, Tom. I said this on Facebook a...Thank you for this, Tom. I said this on Facebook and I'll say it here, too: <br /><br />If I-1240 passes, and if The Boy's school or the school where I work decide to flip to charter, that is IT for us. They can decide that the special ed programs at our schools are too expensive or too much of a liability or whatever and they can just send us on our merry way. <br /><br />After seeing all the anti-special-ed vitriol in response to last week's Seattle Times article, I am convinced that this is a very real possibility. It's not "for the children" if it's not for ALL children.Floor Piehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06533240227865369012noreply@blogger.com