why I changed my mind about school reform

Subject: Re: Why I Changed My Mind About School Reform

Originally, like with bussing, I was firmly convinced that Charter Schools would shake up our educational system.  But it became very obvious at a very early date that the Charter School, no matter how noble intentions had been, actually was destroying public education for all Americans. 

Why are we walking away from a public education system that has worked since the early days of our nation? 

Check out your history books.  You will find the pages bursting with names of those who rose up from humble beginnings through the free public education, often simple one room country schools. 

But once again we Americans have allowed ourselves to be duped.  Talk of challenging students and culling out the sluggish teachers seem to be the way to go.  But the end result is the dismantling of a proven system which could work if we had not allowed the funding to become woefully inadequate.  Carried to its final form, the Charter School will actually widen the gap between the "Have's" and the "have not's".  It will select its students and leave behind a growing mass of under educated, peasants. 

I think they were called Surfs in those good old days. 

And one other thought.  The quick fix is not usually the right fix. 

 

Curious Carl