As long as this week is turning into Education Week on exvigilare, I might as well be consistent.
The Denver Post had this editorial yesterday:
For thousands of parents and students, charter schools offer choices within the public education system. To differing degrees, charter schools feature specialized academic programming and some serve students with unique educational needs. Because charter schools are self-governing public schools, nearly all rely heavily on parental and community involvement and support.
Unfortunately, charter schools (full disclosure - we’re charter schoolers) don’t get everything that public schools do. Even though we pay the same taxes as parents of public schoolers, that tax money doesn’t pay for the same quality of facilities.
The fact that charter schools are doing so well is remarkable considering the challenges they face - especially regarding facilities. The average Colorado charter school spends $480 per student from designated per-pupil operating revenues on facilities costs. This is money that would otherwise be going towards teacher salaries, textbooks, and equipment.
One Comment
Interesting remark about charter school parents paying the same taxes as regular school parents. Every taxpayer has to pay taxes regardless of whether they even had children at all, let alone children in regular public school. And what kind of facilities would you like your tax dollars to pay for as you do charter school at home? Don’t mean to be snarky, just for some reason this comment hit me the wrong way, I guess. Paying taxes for schools is just part of the responsibility and privelege of being a homeowner, methinks.
Also interesting that your quote mentions charter school money is being taken away from teacher salaries! And books! And equipment! Is it just me or is it all anyone has to do is mention teacher salaries! and people are supposed to be shocked and horrified? Evil charter schools siphoning money from teachers. And once again, the whole tenor of an argument like this is that public education will necessarily be improved if we just throw more money at it. Classic liberal thinking, and IMHO a big fat fallacy.
Shutting up now, so I can go educate my own children. Yay homeschooling.