A big foundation in Texas is creating a $50 million fund to open 145 new charters for 80,000 children in San Antonio. The city already has one-quarter of its students in charters. One of the chains likeliest to grow there are Great Hearts, BASIS, KIPP, AND IDEA.
It seems that the goal is to create a privatized system of schools in San Antonio, with whatever public schools remain enrolling the kids the charters don’t want.
Those schools will not have any sucess in San Antonio.
Much like what is happening in New Orleans! Let’s learn from previous experiments.
Last night, Austin ISD voted to terminate their contract with IDEA. Maybe the folks down in San Antonio will wisen up before it’s too late.
IDEA has no contract with any school districts in San Antonio. So what happened with IDEA Allan in Austin can not happen in San Antonio. IDEA has already announced plans for a second campus in San Antonio, IDEA South Flores, located in the Harlandale ISD area.
It seems that the goal is to create a privatized system of schools in San Antonio, with whatever public schools remain enrolling the kids the charters don’t want.
Which of the available choices most reflect the goals of the “common school” as described by Horace Mann?
Given the century and a half since Mann wrote (and the half century since Cremin’s introduction to Mann’s most relevant excerpts) why did educators pursue a path (abandoning the common school ideal) certain to cause the privatization backlash? Mann predicted the consequences.
Was Bestor correct about the “fifth column” of ed school faculty?
I hate to say it but if the people are poor and transient the charter movement will run rough shod over the city. They will create schools and then shortchange the families. They will lie and put forth propaganda about what great schools they have. I hope the people in the public schools are ready for the fight. Every city should be ready to fight off charters by now.
A disturbing trend for San Antonio.
Charter schools have traditionally “cherry picked” students through a backdoor method. All are eligible to enroll, but are screened. Many troubled kids are enrolled, but disenrolled once they start any kind of trouble. This is a fact! Look at KIPP, this is there stated policy concerning behavior. IDEA is not different. These schools are unwarranted and a waste of taxpayer dollars because they create inefficiencies in the certain ISDs like Harlandale…a district that definitely does not need parasites.
Yup, this happening. BASIS is here and opening doors Fall 2013. http://basissanantonio.org/