A City School’s Uphill Fight Over Sharing Space With a Charter
New York Times
By MICHAEL WINERIP
Published: April 10, 2011
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/11/nyregion/11winerip.html?_r=1&ref=education
Topic: In what many might consider a "Man bites dog" story, it is the defenders of the public schools who are up against the larger, better funded, better connected charter school system.
Key Point: In a mixed race and mixed economic area of New York City, the goals of the local public school parents to improve the Middle School have hit unlikely snags. P.S. 9 parents have fought City Hall, scoring a few upset victories. But they have also learned a hard lesson: once the mayor’s people set their sights on a charter school location, the chances of successfully challenging a charter are slim. Supporters of district schools fear that once a charter moves in, it will take over the building. They resent being compared academically, when on average, charters in New York City have fewer poor, immigrant and special-education students.
There are just so many variables, contradictions, so much hoopla! I find it hard to weed out the good from the bad, the legit from the not-so-legit. Education is such a hot topic and people are so fixated on their position that, I find it hard to not be cynical.
ReplyDeleteI know I too have bias, but honestly I would rather be on the side of truth - even if it means switching sides. I just can't decide what side that is.
The ugly four letter f word - FEAR, seems to be clouding judgment.