'Reaching Out' to the Black Community With a Wagging Finger, a Closed Fist, and an Empty Hand

[bigtree]

15. charter schools, as they exist today, don't threaten your job

It's doesn't add up to equate the two.

I'm sorry, I just think 'death warrant' is just nonsense. The notion that the educators in these charter schools are part of some 'scam' is hyper-inflated rhetoric. These schools vary greatly in make-up, mission, and effectiveness. It not something that's being forced on communities; it's a community choice.
There's no question that these new regulations and initiatives like the testing and the 'race' for funding is not what I'd prescribe. I'm not a fan of making schools compete for funding. poor performing schools usually need more resources, so, I'm no fan.

My mother taught in a D.C. school for 30 yrs. and volunteered for 20 more in another D.C. school. I do think this administration has decided to take a confrontational approach with teachers, and I think that's a shame.

Now, that said, we can't just ignore the fact that this administration and Congress have opted to stick with public schools. Almost 90% of school districts in the country have absolutely no competition from charter schools. It's hard to get worked up and declare the administration a disaster while they're initiating and approving record dollars for public education, including billions in the current budget for modernization, repairs, and construction of new schools.

The bleak picture you paint is good for firing folks up over what may well be a worthwhile debate over teacher's rights and benefits -- yet, the hyper-charged rhetoric leaves out so much of the support and progress that this administration has made in their term. I listed some above. The investment in dollars is unprecedented, and the control you speak of is aspirational, more than it is coercive. The federal contribution is still dwarfed by the states'. There have been waivers and other accommodations of individual states' obligations under the Leave No Child Behind Act and other regulations.

Moreover, it's easy to criticize the Democratic administration, but let's not forget what they've been resisting in the form of republicans' determination to neuter the federal contribution to education. We can argue about this regulation or the other, but it's still a major improvement over the opposition to have a Democratic administration still committed to initiating and approving increases in the amount of federal dollars that go into traditionally state-funded schools.

The alternative? Look at the teachers which were able to hold onto their jobs as a result of this administration's hard-fought-for Recovery Act. It's just not credible to argue that this administration is some enemy of public education, or even teachers. We just saw the president defend smaller classes, which don't just automatically work with just any level of teacher. Studies show that the standards the administration is calling for in teacher education are necessary for the success of those classrooms. We need to keep working to find the right balance of opportunity and expectation.