The Education Wonks
Again, I'm struck by the similarities between our two valleys.
We have one local charter school that has been around for two years and is grades K-2, but the school board just non-reelected the teacher that started it, citing classroom management problems, and in the face of HUGE parental opposition. I'm giving the school two more years before it folds completely.
Every time someone comes into this community and tries to begin a new, innovative program, it eventually crashes and burns, as a result of a community, district administration, and teachers' union unwilling to even consider change.
I commend you for sticking it out as long as you have and choosing to raise your family there--my husband and I are already making plans to leave in the next two or three years, because I can't handle repeatedly beating my head against the same walls, and I refuse to become cynical, bitter, jaded, and uncaring, like so many other teachers who have stayed.
While the idea of charter schools is intriguing, there are huge, perhaps insurmountable, problems involved. Remember the gentleman who wants to maintain the purity of the Aztec race through charter schools? And one of the most significant problems is that of funding and facilities. How can charters compete effectively absent massive funding that would of necessity come from public school budgets?
Thus far, too many charters seem to burn brightly for a year or two, only to collapse into black holes thereafter.
I'm looking for people who might want to help me support Mitt Romney, and one of the main reasons I support him is because of his stances on education. What do you think of his stance on education? Do you agree? Could you see supporting him?
This is a press release that I found about Mitt and Charter schools...
http://www.mass.gov/?
pageID=pres...ter_schools.xml
And this is from Wikipedia...
Education
In 2004, Governor Romney established the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship Program to reward the top 25 percent of Massachusetts high school students with a four-year, tuition-free scholarship to Massachusetts’ state university or colleges. He has also drafted other education reforms, including the recruitment of 1,000 skilled math and science instructors, bonuses of as much as $15,000 a year for top-performing teachers, and new intervention programs for failing schools.
Additionally, Romney began advocating for a nationwide focus on education through the recruitment of and better pay for math and science teachers, and allowing state governments to take control of underperforming schools after three instead of the six-year period that is now in place.
Speaking of the education provided to minority students, Romney said, "I really believe that the failure of our urban schools and, in some cases our suburban schools, to help minority students achieve the levels that are necessary for success in the workplace is the civil rights issue of our time."
In 1994 Governor Romney pledged to vote to establish a means-tested school voucher program to allow students to attend the public or private school of their choice. He also supported abolishing the federal Department of Education and favored keeping control of educational reform at the lowest level, closest to parents, teachers, and the community (Boston Globe review of 1994 campaign issues Mar 21, 2002)
In April of 2006, Romney outlined his 6-point plan for improving the country's education in an Op/Ed in the Washington Times.[21]
Oops, I forgot to put my website...
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