Jack Smith CHARTER SCHOOLS – “A GRAVY TRAIN” – No wonder Bill Gates and his Foundation supported the Initiative to get them. They need more Easy Money, they view Public Schools as bad for their interests or both. Any comments to share with this list? I am sure not everyone on this list agrees with this position, or at least they did not when the winning initiative was on the ballot. ….. jackthewriter
SMS This is utter nonsense. Bill Gates wealth has nothing whatsoever to do with the Charter Schools.
His commitment ..whether he is correct or not that charters are the best approach … is shaped by his own outstanding education at Lakeside, a private school, and his belief (that I share) that ALL kids and their parents should have as much opportunity and choice as possible.
The opposition to Charters some mainly from the Unions. They certainly have a point in that public school unions have a powerful tool to raise their members wages. A common .. though not universal…feature of charters is more control over the hiring, work rules, and firing of teachers by the parent/teacher led groups that control these schools. Ideally, theunions themselves would work to create charters.
The first point for voters to realize is that Chareters are PUBLIC schools. They get no more money than any other schools and are reguated by the same district wide rules. One exception .. shared by other programs withing traditional schools ..is that these schools are selcevtive and kids who fail to live up to the school may have to leave.
The other important thing for everyone to realize that the well of already have charters .. in their ability to send their kids to private schools or to move to communities where they control the schools.
Lakeside – I guess that is accessible to all.
“utter nonsense” – Hard to dispute a foolish accusation.
“Gates money had nothing to do with the Initiative” – Where were you? Gave you examined the contributions to the Initiative?
“Unions” – far from the only opposition to the Initiative. I guess educators do not count.
“Election” – Monsanto has proven that money buys elections in the USA.
“Charter Schools” = public money and private administration
“Control schools” – the wealthy already control public schools by the failure of the Legislature to fund them at Constitutional levels.
OF COURSE LAKESIDE IS NOIT AVAILABLE TO ALL .. that is the point. Why should money dictate the opportunites kids have for a great education?
As for Gates money, YOU implied that Gates makes money of the Charter ovement. That is simply not true.
As for “Unions” – far from the only opposition to the Initiative. I guess educators do not count.” The “educators” you refer to ARE the unions. I sugegst you ask how many porivate school educators oppose Charters or how many university facuylty including academics with expertise is such critical areas as writing, history, and STEM.
I have no idea why you refer to Monsanto. Money is a mess in plitics ..whether that is AFT or Koch.
So who do you think should administer the public schools? Are you realy impressed with the qualitym of folks on school boards? Why shouldn’t a group of partemnt and teachers who submit a plan that meets District objecti8ves be able to decide how THEIR kids are educated?
Here is a simple question. I attended the Boston Latin School .. the oldest and stilla premier PUBLIC seocndary school in tjhe US. Though not offi8caloly a charter, BLS is run bya teacher/parent gmechanism and its kids routinely compete on an equal basis with the best private schools. Many cities have schools like this. Suppose I had the money to help create such a school and wanted it in Seattle???
No sense continuing this. You twist my words and I twist yours.
It is like the the guy from the LEV who asked to explain Charter Schools to me. Shortly, after the meeting he blocked me. Seems he was only interested in his point of view. Do you see the similarity.
The people have spoken.
The WA Supreme Court has spoken.
I guess there is enough information out there for the voters to decide for themselves.
I have noted this before.. Chart r she over the top comments and then refuse to answer specific questions.. A lot like Trump.