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Monday, February 18, 2013

The Hypocrisy of charter school supporters

Sherri Ackerman writing in the pro privatization blog ReDefined Ed complains that charter schools are being left out of events put on by public schools.

She wrote:  Increasingly, though, Hillsborough students are not all together in academic competitions.

In the past year, district officials have begun excluding charter schools from some districtwide contests, including Battle of the Books, a reading competition, and the Math Bowl and Math League for elementary and middle school students. The reasons for the splintering are not clear. But everything from cost, to fear of competition, to a desire for charter schools to be more independent, has been suggested. At the least, the move points to potential pitfalls as school choice options mushroom across the landscape – even in a district with a choice-friendly reputation like Hillsborough.

She then quoted Lillia Stroud of King’s Kids Academy of Health Science, a new charter in Tampa.  “They’re all our children, separation at any level is disheartening.”

I just can’t help but wonder where thier consternation has been with Senate Don Geatz and other members of the state legislature. Mr. Geatz said while reasoning charter school teachers should be exempt from the Student Success Act, “I’ve been in business for thirty years. I’ve never asked for an even playing field, you can’t make everything equal.”

I also don’t remember any charter schools complaining as they received tens of millions in capital funds while public schools received nothing.

It seems like charter school supporters are all about fairness but only when it benefits them.

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