Detroit Free Press blows apart charter-school movement

Oh, I don't know. Would assume it varies by state. But really that's beside the point. The idea that "profit is the motive" doesn't necessarily tell us anything. Certainly it's not any more informative than someone else arguing "Public schools only care about teachers' unions!"

Lots of very successful for-profit entities make the world a better place, but we don't have any problems with them. So I don't know why we should just assume that a school's being "for-profit" means it can't lead to a net improvement in a state's/city's educational system.

 

I'm all for private schools that operate privately and aren't subsidized with tax dollars.

 

Hmmmmm ... Something tells me this aversion to tax-flows-to-for-profits is rather narrowly focused.

 

Why do we insist kids go to government operated schools, but we give GI's, Pell Grant recipients, and others money they can spend at the institution of there choice?

What's the difference?

Do we not trust parents to spend a school voucher in the best interests of their child?

 

And, just so we're clear...

Poor performing charter schools should be shut down right away, but public schools that have been failing for generations should remain open? Is that about right?

 

Isn't that the advantage of the private sector? Get shit done quickly without that pesky bureaucracy?

 

As regards charter schools, I think the argument is that they'll tend to be more answerable to their students.

 

Vouchers and other forms of charter school subsidization siphon much-needed resources from existing public school systems.

 

1) it doesn't improve things. The best you can say is that a charter school MIGHT be better than the lowest performing public schools. But with handpicked students -- and sending any underachievers or low performers back to the publics -- how would it not be?

2) I am not saying no business can provide a positive service while making money. I am saying very specifically that the charter school movement is a haven for frauds and flim-flam men.

 

Nope.

 

All charter schools should be shut down right away, is what I am saying. They are a complete waste. There might be a charter school doing a good job based on test scores, but those kids would be fine in the publics anyway.

 

Yep, and all the kids who have been going to hoop clinics at Hometown High and playing on the Hometown Middle School, freshman and JV teams since third grade can go play intramurals at lunchtime, since they'll be bumped off the roster by the AAU All-Stars.