mommylicious
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2007
Charter schools are flooding into our area and I am glad to see it. Get the government our of the school system and schools WILL get better. It is happening all over the country. The Gates family is proving it, Tiger Woods' school is proving it and many others like it are proving that competition makes schools better.
The above is back a few pages but I wanted to comment. My kids attend a local charter school. In some ways it's great but if you are not fortunate enough to live somewhere where an independently wealthy benefactor provides 100% funding for your school, you still have to deal with your local school system's requirements. Yes, some things are more flexible but they do still have to meet all NCLB and state standards if they take $1 of federal/state/county/local tax dollars. Our school gets FTE money from the county in the amount of about $3k - $4K per student. That totals almost $2 million for our school. The total budget for the school is $6 million so our management company makes up the other $4 million but we still must adhere to the NCLB and GA state stuff. There are also other issues at play. For us the school handbook says if they miss 3 or more days of unexcused absences they are brought up before the school board --- not the county school board, the charter school governing board. In our case, that means 3 of the *****iest most power hungry women who have no problem sitting in a board meeting and telling the parents in attendance they don't give a damn what we want, they are going to do what they feel is best for their kids. THe other two board members are men from the community who don't give a damn and are only there to make sure their companies are awared contracts to do business with the school without even going through a bid process...essentially their votes are "bought" so that the 3 *****y women can do what they want. Beyond corrupt. Last year I spoke out against something the board was doing that affected ALL children at the school but they were not even telling parents it was being discussed. I rocked the boat and rallied parents. That means I am now persona-nongrata to the board. My kids will be missing 2.5 days right before Christmas. A half day (as in it's an early release day, not us checking them out) on 12/19 then a whole day 12/20 and 12/21 however 12/21 is class party day and the policy has always been that parents can take them home early after the party with no penalty. If they try to tell me we are missing 3 days I will fight tooth and nail given that 12/19 is an early release day with the kids picked up at noon. IF I were to check my child out at noon on a full day they would only be counted absent for a half day so the same should apply here. If we are brought before the board then unfortunately the political BS will no doubt cause trouble for us. I keep my kids there because the teachers are FANTASTIC and the school has great academic success but each teacher and most parents will tell you they are successful DESPITE the board, not because of them. The board is more interested in stuff like making sure that the capri pant choice for uniforms are the ones their daughters like best and creating a policy that says no other brand of capris are allowed.
Fortunately not all charter schools are like that but far too many are because when you get that extra parent involvement requirement, sometimes you get parents who are a little TOO involved. Many of the charter management companies are first and foremost businesses so their first priority is business, not kids and that can cause a problem too.