A Threat to Public Education

Diane Ravtich, noted education researcher and author, knows a good deal of the field of education past and present. She is no fan of 'No Child Left Behind' as well as charters and vouchers. I got a chance to glance at one of her podcasts and two things struck me as fundamentally accurate and portending of some tough days ahead for public education.

First, Ravitch notes that what she refers to as 'corporate charter chains' "push out those with disabilities, English language learners and those with behavior problems." There is strong evidence that this continues unabated in a number of places.

The second point that Ravitch makes is that these 'chains' do much to "destroy what public schools are about, developing a sense of community and a sense of democracy at the local level." This final point about corporate charter chains destroying public schools is one which many might not consider to be important. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Charters are run by an a board that is not elected by neighborhood residents; hence, public participation is minimized. Make no mistake about it, this is a definite erosion of democracy at the local level. There is real loss of community through the sabotaging of democracy.

And, by the way, with little real community input is it any wonder, as Ravitch notes, that certain students are excluded from attending some of our nation's charters? It's no wonder to me.

Dick