Message Board

Ms. Sackler,

Of course this is a great message to get out. If a child happens to get an education while in a public, non-accountable school, this is simply a matter of coincidence, not design. Public schools are designed for employees, administrators and the unions. Period. If you are not part of the "SYSTEM" - and decidedly parents and students are not - then you are persona non grata.

If these articles might assist in your efforts, you have my permission to use them,
Achieve Educational Freedom, Excellence and Harmony: Eliminate the Public Schools
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/galvin4.1.1.html
Strike a Victory for Federalism: Eliminate the Public Schools
http://www.lewrockwell.com/orig10/galvin5.1.1.html

Cheyenne, Wyoming, but NOT a single theater in all of Utah with 78 public charter schools either in operation or scheduled to be open soon!? Come on guys! And this is not a slam to Wyoming by any means. We need this sort of film to be shown here.

I have been involved in public charter schools for 7 years and all 6 of our children attend charters. I have been a teacher, administrator, and parent volunteer and not only work within the system here in Utah but have found great people involved ll over the country in this movement. The fundamental issue for ALL charter people is to provide a better opportunity for all students. There are hundreds, even thousands of amazing people who quietly put in many hours at their own expense to make that difference.

Very much hope this film will make it to Utah and I wish all of you involved in educating kids of all ages the best--you do such a powerful work!

The core problem is that education is controlled by government bureaucrats and unions. Since solutions that work undermine their power, they will always war against effective solutions. Job one is to destroy this malignant power base:
1. De-certify all government unions. This goes across the board. Government unions have driven government pay and benefits 40-50% higher than the private sector. This is the greatest civil rights violation of our era dwarfing all racial or gender inequities.
2. Every teacher should be an at-will employee and paid according to local market conditions. Supply and demand is pretty easy to figure out. If parents can get better teachers at a reasonable cost than pink slip the present ones.
3. Stop meddling from more remote governments. Local communities not the state or federal government are far more competent in calling ALL the shots. The only role of the fed in education should be to conduct RICO investigations of the national teacher unions.

I served as a trustee for a high-end suburban private school when my children attended. This school operated on tuition, donations and some permanent endowment funds. Notwithstanding the wealth of the parents, we had to be careful with our money. The school provided partial and full tuition for about 15% of the student population, roughly the ratio of disadvantaged students within a 5 mile radius. My children did well at this school.

One year, my daughter announced that she wanted to attend the local public high school (north side of Chicago) and I agreed to let her go. I met and spoke to all her teachers. With one exception, none would have made the cut at their former private school. Why? Because they made an effort to keep parents at bay. Among other things, the teachers saw returning evening phone calls as an inconvenience.

I am an articulate, educated parent and had trouble establishing meaningful dialogue. Imagine the outcome if English was my second language, or perhaps I spoke no English at all. Keep this in mind when when public school teachers complain that parents are uninvolved. Teaching is a lot easier job when the pesky parents aren't constantly pestering you for progress reports and guidance.

I think Shequawana best summed it up when she stated, "Parents who look for charters, "better" public school districts, private schools and all other types of education that are considered "better", really want what is best for their children. These people have decided not to put up with the different red tape and nonsense of public school. The parents are more involved which helps their children...these parents want more than the status quo, which pushes their kids further....these parents know that their children are not the sole responsibility of the teachers.....I think that it is these things and many others that make many charter schools successful.

I have worked in the public school district in Monument, CO. and have had my children in both our assigned public school and then transferred to our charter school as I found the academics and the expectations of not only the child, but the educator, and the parents were much higher. I am thankful for the option of a charter school, but it is not for everyone. If you as a parent are not interested in doing your "homework" to help "your" child succeed, well than don't attend a charter school. My personal POV is that people need to stop passing blame and start owning up and seeing what they can do to enhance their child's life regardless if it might mean some self-sacrifice.

Charter schools are not the answer. I am a charter school teacher and I can honestly say that I feel like a criminal every day I walk into the classroom. Charter schools like HSA are building a foundation of students that will never question or think for themselves. They think they are trying to "save" a community. What they are really trying to do is to create a community that listens to the the man. These children will forever be marginalized if they cannot think for themselves, and this is the instruction that is forced upon them. What is the point of being able to test well on a stupid standardized test when at the end of the day, there is no critical thinking involved to bubble in a circle? This is how Africa was ruined, charter schools will do the same thing, break up a community of people.

“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” - Harriet Tubman

That's how I feel about this whole charter school madness. It sickens me to see Black & Latino families not even realizing that they are subjecting their children to this type of auction!!! So sickening!!!

A good education should be a right, not a privilege! Why can't they just make the public schools better? Or, I have an idea, make the schools in the predominately Black/Latino neighborhoods like the schools in the predominately White neighborhoods! Then we won't need charter schools! Right?

When I was watching the movie, I didn't see not one White family hoping & praying their child got 'picked'...hmmm...

This is a newer version of segregation at its best! Willie Lynch is getting what he wanted & Malcolm X is rolling over in his grave!

What happens to the children who aren't 'picked?' Oh, I get it, they just continue to work in the cotton field & hope & pray that they get a chance to work in the plantation! Then they will learn how to read, take care of other people's families...and guess what? Be a better slave!!!!

Yes, we should be so happy that the same people that put Blacks & Latinos in this mess of a system, are the same ones coming to the rescue!!! Hooray!!!

Sounds like another classic Munchausen by proxy syndrome to me!

What's next?

“I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed a thousand more if only they knew they were slaves.” - Harriet Tubman

That's how I feel about this whole charter school madness. It sickens me to see Black & Latino families not even realizing that they are subjecting their children to this type of auction!!! So sickening!!!

A good education should be a right, not a privilege! Why can't they just make the public schools better? Or, I have an idea, make the schools in the predominately Black/Latino neighborhoods like the schools in the predominately White neighborhoods! Then we won't need charter schools! Right?

When I was watching the movie, I didn't see not one White family hoping & praying their child got 'picked'...hmmm...

This is a newer version of segregation at its best! Willie Lynch is getting what he wanted & Malcolm X is rolling over in his grave!

What happens to the children who aren't 'picked?' Oh, I get it, they just continue to work in the cotton field & hope & pray that they get a chance to work in the plantation! Then they will learn how to read, take care of other people's families...and guess what? Be a better slave!!!!

Yes, we should be so happy that the same people that put Blacks & Latinos in this mess of a system, are the same ones coming to the rescue!!! Hooray!!!

Sounds like another classic Munchausen by proxy syndrome to me!

What's next?

All kids deserve a good education. Unfortunately, our education system, along with healthcare, criminal justice, mental health, and child welfare, does not function optimally - far from it. Let's agree that those who work in these systems - where ever they are in the system - are good people, hardworking people, who do the best they can given the context in which they work. What is at stake for all of us are systems that need to change and produce the outcomes we all seek. Yet, most of us understand little about systems-level change, or how to make that happen.

As a parent on the west coast I have spent countless hours exploring educational options for my son. It is clear that some options are better than others, but I struggle with the fact that it is not just my son who needs a good education, it is all kids. What are the most important factors for a good education?

Decades of research says: 1) student-teacher relationship 2) small(er) classroom sizes, 3) time on task, and 4) using evidence-based teaching strategies. Whether a school is public, private, or charter - these are the factors we all should be demanding no matter which type of school.

I liked the film. It was powerful, and had a number of good messages that are applicable across our educational system. There was however, one point in the film that significantly frustrated me. Towards the end, when parents attend the ceremony to see who gets into the charter school, it is clear there are winners and losers. Some of those losers are kids sitting in the audience who understand what is at stake. You can see the hopelessness and fear on their faces when they were not among the chosen. This is wrong. Where I live the results are sent my mail. How could so many involved in delivering a good education not understand the emotional and developmental repercussions on children (and parents) by having a public display of the lottery? Sad, very sad.

I don't know what charter schools you are referring to Shortlink. In the Twin Cities, by far, we support the less fortunate students that come from families with limited resources. The school I work at in particular has been at or above 90% free and reduced meals since it's inception in 1998. I cannot speak for every charter school around the United States though I doubt you have that ability either.

Please bring the Film to the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor!