[Peace] RE: [CUCPJ Announce] Charter schools

[Germaine Light]

Brian & all,
	Public schools can do everything charter schools do and even
better!
It is a known fact that charter schools on average are currently
producing lower ACT scores than public schools, and that they are
generally NOT as successful as public schools!  The Springfield Edison
schools are an example of this.
	Also, the more we take children and funds (taxes, for example)
away from public schools and give these resources to charter schools,
the more the public school system will suffer.  
	If you think your public schools need improving, then get
active, go to school board meetings, and elect school board members that
will do this.  
Don't take away resources from your public school system. The public
school system is one of the most democratic institutions that this
country has.  
	A charter school system is not run by a democratic system, and
by law is exempt from labor laws that provide employees in public
schools the right to organize into a union.  In short, without union
support & subsequent benefits for employees, charter schools as a rule
will not attract the best quality teachers and staff.  The children will
suffer.  
	We need our public school system.  I've been in the business of
improving it for over 20 years.  Educators, including teachers & staff,
administrators, school board members, and parents, have been working on
improving education in public schools for decades & decades.  It HAS
improved.  Of course this improvement can continue.  Do not throw away
what we have built up.  Just help us make it better!  
For the children's sake and for our future!!!!!!

Germaine Light
Public School Teacher
Biology Dept.
Mahomet-Seymour High School
And
Grassroots Political Activist
Illinois Education Association


-----Original Message-----
From: announce-bounces at lists.communitycourtwatch.org
[mailto:announce-bounces at lists.communitycourtwatch.org] On Behalf Of
Brian Dolinar
Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2007 12:33 PM
To: Peace Discuss; Peace List; announce at communitycourtwatch.org;
contactus at habariconnection.com; Public i
Subject: [CUCPJ Announce] Charter schools

Nice article by Karen.  BD

Champaign schools failing community
Tuesday January 16, 2007

The white community is lacking information about charter schools. This
is important for Champaign residents right now. (I am white, so be
appropriately offended).

Charter schools are public schools, not private. The proposed charter
school would have specialized in reading. These schools can deliver
superior education to the target community in their specialty (read
the Harvard Report). These schools offer smaller classes and more
individual attention than conventional public schools.

The conventional public schools are failing the African-American
community, and the white community, the Latino community and everyone
else, and most unfortunately, the Champaign school district is forcing
each community to find its own solutions. Middle-class parents are
putting their kids in private schools or are home schooling. The
poorer communities do not have this luxury. This is not just isolation
by race, but also by poverty and language.

The Champaign school board needs to communicate with the families it
serves. Having their lawyer talk for them is not communication. It was
a lack of communication that led to the school district being sued,
not a lack of lawyers. Work with the people. They have great ideas.
Assign two board members to improve proposals brought to them. Or
better yet serve the community better so charter schools are not
needed.

Paying for good education for all is a preventative investment. We
should be keeping an eye on our school board: we elected it, it works
for us. When it makes mistakes, we pay dearly.

KAREN EVANS MEDINA

Champaign

-- 
Brian Dolinar, Ph.D.
303 W. Locust St.
Urbana, IL 61801
briandolinar at gmail.com
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