Hosted by The Center for
Education Reform
Hosted by The Center for
Education Reform
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
"Our Viewpoint" Editorial
Belleville News Democrat, January 7, 1997
East St. Louis school board members last week threw out proposals for two charter schools as quickly and as easily as they might discard a piece of trash. It was a grave disservice to the people who labored putting these proposals together, and particularly to the children of the district.
The proposals came from respected educators: the director of Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville's East St. Louis Center and a teacher at Governor French Academy in Belleville. They offered hope for academic improvement in a district that desperately needs it.
But the board spent all of two minutes discussing the merits of the proposals during the meeting last week. The rest of the time was spent complaining about not getting enough funding from the state, blaming everyone but themselves for the problems in the district and other non-issues.
Of course, why discuss something when you already have your mind made up?
Board members made it clear they opposed shifting some funding from traditional programs to the charter schools. Never mind that it might be a more productive use of the taxpayers' money. And they objected to giving up control over decisions such as who would run the schools and who would teach in them. That lack of control is a prime tenant of charter schools, and it's one of the reasons they've been so successful in other parts of the country.
As people who have followed this school board well know, control is much more important to some members than the quality of education in the district. Until the voters elect board members who make the children and learning their top priorities, charter schools do not have a chance.