Jersey Jazzman explains what is now obvious: School closings have a disparate impact on children and communities of color. Community schools are closed, destabilizing the neighborhood. Charter schools open, which choose and reject those they want or don’t want. Most charters don’t want the kids with the greatest needs.
A new parent group has formed in Newark, which has been a playground for the rich and famous, who move around Other People’s Children like pieces on a chess board. It has lodged a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
Will OCR find policies supported by the U.S. Secretary of Education discriminatory?
Let’s watch and see.
If that doesn’t happen, the parents should go to court. We still have an independent judiciary.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Yes, I believe the courts will rescue us from the true goal of “reform:” to siphon off tax money from schools for children of the poor.
I am not sure, in NYC several lawsuits have been filed against closures, co-locations, and the expansion of charter schools in public space. Unfortunately, the courts have not always sided with the public…
http://pubadvocate.nyc.gov/news/2011-04-10/parents-upper-west-side-high-school-sue-school-stop-co-location
I wish I had faith in the courts and the effects of their rulings… I seem to recall that in 1954 the Supreme Court mandated that we integrate public schools “with all deliberate speed”… sixty years is VERY deliberate speed… and there are countless state court decisions on funding that have not been implemented by legislatures or are being appealed… But it WILL be VERY interesting to see if OCR is on the same page as USDOE…
Are the attrition statistics available by gender for charter schools? If the statistics are skewed towards males then is it possible to take a suit against gender bias?
I suspect males are more likely to be “counseled out” because they are less likely to conform to the discipline.
That’s an interesting question. But it made me immediately think of how it might work the other way!
I’m not knowledgeable about this at all. But I just recall reading a lot of stuff about how there’s more women college grads than men… and couldn’t there be a relationship between that and primary school?
(I don’t know, I’m curious about that though. If the disparity is just with college or starts earlier.)
There is an important article in The American Prospect which details that it is not just Newark parents who are fighting this discrimination. The article shows this is actually a national movement.
Fighting Education Shock Therapy
With tools from 1964, community activists are pushing the White House to turn federal education policy around.
http://prospect.org/article/fighting-education-shock-therapy
Unfortunately, these situations are being taken out of context. Lets talk about the fact that “in principle,” if a school is failing, and the school board is not doing its job, then a parent trigger mechanism should be implemented. And if implemented correctly, parents can consider various options, including shutting down a school or converting it to a charter school. Why is it that traditional public schools can’t be held accountable to some degree?
I’m sorry, but when a school fails, you don’t throw more taxpayer dollars at the problem. Now every school district situation has its own circumstances, yet what I see as the norm here is for fear and paranoia to rule the day.
What is worse on a community? Shutting down a failing school and giving students a chance at a higher quality alternative, or do nothing, and let the kids continue to be unprepared for life outside the classroom? Lets put the focus back on the students, and not the grownups which is **ss backwards!
Just for you, Reinvent_ED:
http://jerseyjazzman.blogspot.com/2012/09/wont-back-down-ii-sequel.html
Al,
You’re back…so what to do when the non traditional school fails?
I assume you mean test scores when you judge “fail”.
Yes,yes, let’s focus on the kids not the privatizing eduvultures..see here. Education reform as a business…count how often they mention children:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/01/09/education-reform-as-a-business/
And see Diane’s latest post….they even close schools when they are improving because the plan isn’t to improve teaching and learning, the plan is to privatize and profit.
And sometimes, ask Mike Bloomberg, they starve and stack them so they do fail.
Silly Al.
Nice to see you make me the center of attention. I think I will leave this blog to the folks who like to rant to others who share identical views – seems that all of you would prefer to hear identical NEA sound bytes than open your eyes to new ideas, many which are working.
Linda, thank you for your blunt question. What do you do to public charter schools that are failing? You close them down in the same fashion! And if you don’t, that’s because of corrupt board members or bad policies I find everyone on here to be like the Sith from Star Wars. ALWAYS speaking in absolutes – “you’re either with me, or you’re my enemy.” That is truly foolish logic. Have the courage to find common ground instead of labeling anyone who wants to fix the “system” as evil.
I’m kind of enjoying a book that Joe Williams wrote in 2005 titled “Cheating our Kids: How Politics and Greed Ruin Education.” It’s still relevant and I suspect that Diane has already read it and will say that Joe is an education reform hedge fund guy, which is slander to the Nth degree!
I just like to comment on here from time to time to give you folks something to get hostile about. Other than that, it’s just a lot of “preaching to the choir.”
Linda, you’re the one that’s silly. I feel sorry for you. Keep fighting the winds of change. I’d rather see impoverished youth in a public charter school that’s working, than a traditional public school that cares more about adults than kids. Organizations like DFER are NOT evil, but you demonize them because they push for CHANGE.
Silly Linda.
AL…aka. Reinvent Ed:
Back to the “education reform community” to get your talking points: DFER, SFER, TFER, Students last, TFA, Stand on Children….see your choir at the privatization conference in NYC. Ka-Ching!
There is lots of “common ground” there. Best of luck.
Jazzman, I guess you wrote the Battle Hymn for the NEA…..