This came to my personal email. The writer requested anonymity:

“Hello, Ms. Ravitch,

“My name is —- ——-, and I am a big fan of your scholarship, specifically that around charter school efficacy.

“I spent my first 2 years in education as an ELA teacher at a KIPP school in New Orleans while also taking classes as part of a post-bac teacher certification program at one of the best universities in the Crescent City.

“I have read, and used as a source for a presentation on charter school efficacy, the original CREDO report, and I am in full agreement with your assertion that charter schools are, at best, at par with TPSs in terms of efficacy – not better. It is not only your research that has supported this assertion, and as you know, there is, in fact, a wide body of research that suggests the exact same thing. And, as a formally-educated educator, I am well versed in research study methodology, and always look at the methodology prior to considering the veracity of the findings of a study. Faulty methodology = faulty findings. And the methodology of the CREDO report is nothing short of air-tight as study methodology can be.

“I am writing because I would love to find out from you any resources that might be of assistance as I research charter schools.

“In my opinion, as someone who has worked at KIPP and another CMO (charter management organization) in New Orleans, I can say, based upon years of experience, I am deeply concerned about:

a) their lack of real accountability
b) the lack of compliance with Federal laws pertaining to education, including IDEA
c) the inhumane conditions (including excessive hours, no breaks, etc) to which teachers, at many charters, are subjected
d) a lack of real-world experience, and formal education education (i.e. graduate work, or even undergraduate work, and practicum hours, through a nationally accredited school of education) had by the majority of the teachers, and administrators, at many charter schools

“For years, I endured the inhumane working conditions, and turned a blind eye to ridiculous violations and inefficiencies, but I am finished being a follower.

“As an African-American who completed my elementary and secondary educational work in an affluent public school district, I can say with certainty that the students at each and every charter school with which I am familiar in the city of New Orleans, and I am familiar with many schools within many CMOs, these schools are not at all preparing their students for success in college. Most of the schools do not include computer education as part of their curriculum, special education students frequently do not receive the services they are, by law, entitled to, teachers are under-assigning homework, many of the instructors are not at all masters of the content areas, etc. etc.

“And then there is the KIPP/TFA connection. KIPP and Teach for America are literally in bed with each other, due to the fact that KIPP Foundation CEO, Richard Barth, and Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-Founder of Teach for America, are married with children. Boy, I see a serious issue with the number of folks who are KIPP employees who are TFA Corps members or alumni, especially given this fact. Were some similar arrangement to be the case in the private sector, it would most definitely be seen as a conflict of interest. Were either of them politicians and there was a similar arrangement, there would be major ethical issues. And the same is the case with the education of the children of America, especially the black and brown, and impoverished, of whatever color.

“I know you are incredibly busy, but I would love, even if I cannot speak directly to you, to be put into contact with someone with your organization who can point me in the proper direction of some resources. The general public is completely ill-informed, and/or ignorant, when it comes to what is really going on in terms of educational reform, and it is, in my mind, an ethical issue, and a matter of national security, that our children are being mis-educated, their parents lied to. Not to mention all of the wonderful teachers who have been demonized, laid off, and stripped of their financial independence as a result of the latest, greatest wave of educational reform.

“Humbly yours,

—- ——-

“former charter school teacher, life-long educator & activist”