EduShyster asks the curious but important question: What happens when parents are told that they must have school choice, whether they want it or not? What happens if they want a neighborhood public school but authorities tell them they are not allowed to have that choice? What if the elites decide that other people’s children must choose a “no excuses” charter school even if they don’t choose it?
Read the sad story of Camden, Néw Jersey, where parents hit school choice without wanting it.
Writes EduShyster:
“If choice is the only choice is it still choice?
“Today we turn to one of the most baffling conundrums of these fiercely urgent days. If school choice is indeed the civil rights issue of our time, why do its chosen beneficiaries so rarely get to exercise any choice about choosing it? Alas reader, we are left with no choice. To the choice mobile, and make it snappy! We’re headed to Camden, New Jersey, where school choice is on its way, whether people there choose to choose it or not.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The superintendent in Dallas, Texas is trying to turn most neighborhood elementary, middle and high schools into schools of choice. They will be IB, STEAM, Montessori, fine arts, college-prep or career-specific schools. Why can’t we just have high quality, well-rounded comprehensive neighborhood schools? Why do students have to be bussed all over the city, far away from neighborhoods and friends? It is much harder to have parents involved in a school that is on the opposite side of town. I am not sure what the end game is here in Dallas, but they are trying to turn the whole district into a charter district. Why are we re-inventing the wheel? We know what community schools need. Just to list some of the things they need…They need appropriate social services, small class sizes, clean buildings, certified teachers, proper amounts of materials and supplies, high quality after school and extra curricular activities and parent involvement. The schools need fine arts and computer labs and access to high quality library programs. Elementary schools need recess and brain breaks.
This bothers me. I had a terrible time with my own special needs child getting the appropriate services in a charter school. Does this mean that public school will be for special education only? It’s not fair for children with special needs to be separated from the normal regular peers.
and York, PA!
Exactly what is happening in Newark, NJ, even when it isn’t a charter, though Cami wants it all to be charters or charter managed. When you live across the street from Ann Street School, but the One Newark app sends your child to Hawkins Street School, which is 1.6 miles on Google maps….that is a problem. When you use “choice” to get your desired school, and your 5 children are sent to 5 different schools, all over and/or across town….that is a problem. When your only neighborhood school IS a charter…and its grades k-3 and your kid is in 4th-8th, its a problem. Why are charters allowed to open piecemeal anyhow?
The reformers will keep a few public schools, as someone deftly pointed out here earlier, to house the unwanteds; after all, the charters don’t want low performers, ELLs, etc. so they have to go…somewhere.
I have often thought about the wait lists for charters, the mad rush to enroll their kids–hey, if a new school opened up across the street from me, I’d probably try to get my kid into it as well, rather than be sent miles across town. Then again, all of this madness is CREATED PURPOSELY, and the idea of a wait list is positive propaganda.
When the only choice you have is a charter, you choose a charter. When your hands are tied and your 6 year old is going to have to take a bus at 6am across town to the public school…what are you going to do? AND, you may not even get into the charter because the M.O. is to open just a few grades to start…so your kid is out of luck. And, the charters aren’t performing as they were supposed to…. Its all a merry go round.
Choice equals whatever you get. Even the reformers don’t believe their own BS anymore.
“I have often thought about the wait lists for charters. . . ”
Those “wait lists” are also big lies that have been debunked many times.
I’ve always believed that all children are entitled to a free, public education in the United States.. Isn’t this a law?
What about the choice to have a school within walking distance? The most important choice of all.
In my district at least, catchment areas are set with an eye on proximity and SES integration. The result is that any student living on my block is assigned to a junior and senior high school that is further from home instead of the closer (and in the case of the junior high, mech more walkable) school.
You mean when all parents have to think about some criteria upon which to judge? Sounds like we’re requiring some critical thinking and analyzing. Don’t you think parents are capable? It seems for years I’ve been hearing that “one size does not fit all.” Teachers make this judgment all the time about the schools they’ll put their own kids in.
troll
Choice will come to everyone through a Title I voucher along with Common Core mandates. Beware.
http://www.newswithviews.com/Hoge/anita110.htm
File class action lawsuits to stop it? @ Anita Hoge
When do parents have no choice but “choice”….
WHEN they are POOR or too low in the ERODING MIDDLE CLASS ranks to afford the true choice to pay big for private schools . How is that for a response?
I am so scared with what will happen when charters take over everything. There will be horrible segregation, with the public schools taking the students that the charter schools do not want. I would think that this would be alarming everyone. All of the behavior and learning problems will stay in the public schools, since the charter schools will not want their test scores. Aren’t there laws in place somewhere that can stop this in its tracks? It is prejudice against children with special needs. Once I see this type of thing happening in one community, I am smart enough to know that none of our communities are safe – especially when our schools depend so heavily on state funding. It is truly upsetting to me, as an educator and as a mother.
In Newark, NJ it is “Cami’s choice” and the algorithm for “assigning” a student to a school is still her secret sauce. When a neighborhood school is closed & a parent must list 8 other schools for Universal Enrollment, that’s another realm.
Wake up everyone!
Laws are in place to protect our kids & their educational rights
Big money can pay the lawmakers to change those laws…