Ahh, the Good Ol' Days

This week, the South Carolina Legislature will begin debate on at least one bill that can change the face of public education. That bill is the Statewide Charter School District -- a bill that permits a charter school to be created within a school district -- without the district’s involvement in the make-up of the charter. The new charter school can be created within the district without the district’s consideration or approval. The only relationship between the charter school and the local school district is the district’s money – which will be taken from the local district by the state and handed to the charter school.

Now, put that into a perspective related to another bill before the Legislature -- the district consolidation bill. That bill would establish a non-elected body of folks around the state and will give that group of folks the power to mandate consolidation of smaller districts into larger districts -- based on costs of operation, savings from administrative overhead, and other factors -- and without regard for the desires of the local school districts to be consolidated.

In one bill, the Legislature will create tiny independent schools within districts -- while in another bill, the Legislature will force small independent districts to consolidate into larger districts.

Did I miss something in this debate? Where is the connection -- or disconnection -- in this approach.

As you look through the following article, just follow the arrows; it’ll all make sense in the end.

Thank you for reading. And please feel free to share this link with friends (and others…)
Gary

Ahh, the Good Ol’ Days:
School Choice, Charter Schools, Property Tax Reform,
Education Accountability, and a Minimally Adequate Way of Thinking

Gary West

January 29, 2006

When public tax dollars are used to send well-to-do students to private schools, only the economically and socially disadvantaged will remain in the public schools – and those students will never have the opportunity to go to private schools. Financial resources will enrich the private schools – and will, thus, enrich the educational experiences of students in private schools. Reduced funding for public schools will leave fewer resources and will attract fewer of the “better” teachers and administrators. Different testing programs will mean only “apples-to-oranges” comparisons with no real means of education accountability – thus, no competition. South Carolina will systematically widen the achievement gap between well-to-do students and poor students – leading directly to widening the gap between economic and social opportunities after the school years. This model will lead back to the “separate-and-unequal” system that existed from 1865 until 1975. And the South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that “unequal” is legal as long as it’s “minimally adequate.” Ahh, the good ol’ days…They’re baaaack!!!

Let your Legislators know this is not appropriate.

About the Author

Gary West has lived in South Carolina for more than 30 years. He has worked in schools in the 843 area code, in the 803 area code, and in the 864 area code. He's worked in a South Carolina private school, in a poor and rural South Carolina public school district, and in a well-resourced South Carolina public school district. In all three experiences, the kids have all been the same. It's the grown ups ... well...

You can reach Mr. West at garywwest@earthlink.net.

This article and others can be found online at http://home.earthlink.net/~garywwest/. Permission is granted to share this article in electronic or printed format as long as you don’t change it or charge for it. Read responsibly.