(Newswire, June 5, 2018) An interesting piece in the NY Times posits that because EdSec Betsy DeVos is such a polarizing figure her support for charter schools actually does more harm to the charter movement than good. “One survey of views on charter schools found that Democrats’ support dropped when they heard that President Trump supported them. In other words, the president and his education secretary are so disliked by liberals that some will automatically reject whatever they endorse.”
That’s not surprising, but it is unfortunate and has spawned a narrative of negativity that is doing a terrible disservice to charters specifically and ed opportunities and innovations generally.
As pointed out in the piece “Most [charter school teachers] come to this work to provide underserved children with a better shot at educational success, but now they’re increasingly branded as corporate stooges selling out public education by critics who challenge charter schools’ right to exist.” “I wish that people knew that the thing that’s most important to us is that students are achieving at high academic levels and they’re also empowered individuals,” said a teacher at the charter school featured in the article, which concludes: “That’s all that should matter. But when it comes to education politics in 2018, it seems to be the last thing anyone wants to talk about.