A Video of a Game Called “Charterland”

By dianeravitch

October 4, 2015 //

Last year, I posted about Kevin Welner’s “Charterland.”

Now David Safier of Arizona has turned it into a video, followed by a discussion.

Play the game and see who gets in. And who does not.

Categories Charter Schools, Corporate Reformers, Education Industry, Privatization

12 Comments Post your own or leave a trackback: Trackback URL

Yvonne Siu-Runyan says:

October 4, 2015 at 1:43 pm

THANK YOU, Diane. Good one.

Reply
SomeDAM poet says:

October 4, 2015 at 6:53 pm

I’m thinking “Reformerland” might be a hit, along the lines of “Life”, but with standardized testing, VAMs and all the rest of the stuff blocking your way to the decent life–all decided with a spin of the wheel, o fcourse

But only if you choose teaching as a career. If you choose Governor, Secretary of Ed, Head of a State DOE or State Superintendent you get to make up the rules as you go along and there are no consequences for you.

But, you may ask, why would anyone ever choose to be a teacher in such a game?

Good question.

Reply
flos56 says:

October 5, 2015 at 8:56 am

The reason charters are popular with some parents is the very reason we are against them being publically funded. These parents want to send their kids to a school free of the “riff raff” found in their local buildings. They don’t want learning disabled or nonEnglish speaking children holding the teacher back when she teaches a lesson. They don’t want their children exposed to disruptive behaviors or the problems which go along with children raised in poverty. Some might prefer their child to be in a school which only caters to their race and socioeconomic status (whether white or minority). They want their children in a school which represents the world of “Leave It to Beaver” – with the perks of a private school without the expense.

While we are looking out for ALL children, their main concern is their OWN children.

I’m not saying this to castigate these parents for their views, just to explain the popularity of the charter movement.

Reply
- Tim says:
  
  October 5, 2015 at 10:27 am
  
  Hear, hear! Let the glorious American tradition of racial segregation by real estate do the dirty work for you!
  
  Move to Lancaster, East Aurora, Orchard Park, Clarence, West Seneca, Hamburg, etc., where there are non-detectable numbers of minorities and low numbers of the most profoundly disabled kids. But they’ll educate anyone who lives within their catchment area, it’s true!
  
  Who gets in. Who does not.
  
  Reply
  - dianeravitch says:
    
    October 5, 2015 at 10:44 am
    
    Tim,
    
    Read Gary Orfield of the UCLA Civil Rights Project.
    
    Charters are THE MOST RACIALLY SEGREGATED SCHOOLS in the nation.
    
    Shall I say it again? If you want more racial segregation, charter deliver.
  - Tim says:
    
    October 5, 2015 at 12:01 pm
    
    We have had this discussion several times before!
    
    The metropolitan-area or even city- or district-wide comparisons made by Orfield and other researchers are missing an essential piece of information: how segregated are the charter students’ zoned district schools?
    
    In New York State, the vast majority of black and Latino students attending charter schools live in its big cities and are zoned for a hypersegregated district school. In the words of preeminent researcher Iris Rotberg, “The primary exceptions to increased student stratification [created by choice] are in communities that are already so highly segregated by race, ethnicity, and income that further increases are virtually impossible.”
    
    The state’s most segregated schools are on Long Island, where there is today, in 2015, widespread white flight, and where there is a negligible charter school presence, just five schools serving two counties with a total of 2.8 million people. The Buffalo area is similarly hypersegregated, and for someone who lives there to condemn charter parents without looking at the (much) bigger district school picture is unfortunate.
  - flos56 says:
    
    October 16, 2015 at 10:06 am
    
    Tim – 20% of the population in the City of Buffalo is white.
    
    However, I see that changing as the current renovations at the Waterfront, the reopen I g of Main Street, and the development of the Medical Corridor continues. The Buffalo Schools have an opportunity to advertise some of their success stories. There are some tremendous opportunities out there, including guaranteed free college tuition for students who graduate from high school in the city. The programs offered, both vocational and academic, provide unique opportunities not available in the suburbs.
    
    The fact that the school climate in some of these identified schools prevents the students from appreciating and/or participating in a system which will lead to gainful employment is a shame. This climate is not due to the teachers who are working their hearts out, but the attitude of the students who blow off the whole idea of a quality education. Not only that, these same students’ behaviors when they do come to school prevents others from learning.
    
    My solution is to provide more alternative schools for these problem kids, full of counseling and one on one or small group instruction. Once the most disruptive influences are removed, perhaps the rest of the students will fall in line. At least the ones who want to learn will be able to pay attention to the teacher who will finally be able to teach properly (instead of spending class time disciplining unruly students).
    
    And the charter schools have the same issues, they just have the option to literally kick those kids out.
    
    So I see the problem as more cultural than racial. There are plenty of kids, both minority and white, who are attending the numerous schools in Buffalo which provide a pathway to an excellent professional career. It’s those who cater to the “leftover” students which are having issues. Closing the school and renaming it something else does not get rid of these facts.
    
    Minority families often choose the all minority charter schools because they are in their neighborhood. They are no better than the public school, just more conveniently located. So, in this case, I agree that the population distribution does have a major effect on school choice, but with the influx of refugees and the current building spree of high end and loft apartments, I see changes coming down the road.
  - flos56 says:
    
    October 5, 2015 at 1:55 pm
    
    The top school districts are Clarence, Williamsville, and Orchard Park. They are also the most affluent and least diverse. When ranked, whether public, parochial, or private, their schools “outperform” the others. Please note there are no charter schools in these areas.
  - flos56 says:
    
    October 5, 2015 at 1:58 pm
    
    Lancaster, where Bethleham Steel once reigned, has a more blue collar and minority population and their ranking is not much above Buffalo.
  - flos56 says:
    
    October 5, 2015 at 2:18 pm
    
    Tim – while I did think of you when I wrote my comment, I know many parents who have the same arguments as you in favor of sending their children to charter schools. As I admitted, I would do the same for my own kids if I thought the charter provided a better education.
    
    But I have also stated that I think the borders of the Buffalo School District should be extended out into the surrounding suburbs, including those more affluent districts.
    
    My children went to an elementary school which was wonderfully diverse filled with minority students as well as children from all over the world (children of UBs professors and graduate students). My lament about moving to Williamsville was this very lack of diversity within the schools.
    
    This world would be a better place if children of different backgrounds intermixed on a daily basis. There would be less hate and more understanding.
    
    Unfortunately, the suburban school districts rejected the idea of providing opportunities in their schools for inner city kids. Their excuse was they had enough troubles of their own (imposed by the state and federal governments) and they couldn’t take on any more.
    
    With low income housing, some minorities have moved to the suburbs and with them have come some issues which the average teacher/administer has difficulty dealing with, so they already have a taste of what urban faculties face everyday. A taste is enough for their palate.
- flos56 says:
  
  October 5, 2015 at 2:02 pm
  
  Excuse me – Lackawanna is lowly ranked. Lancaster is an up and coming district with an influx of more affluent families which will eventually compete with the top schools.
  
  Cheektowaga and West Seneca are directly on the border of Buffalo and have to deal with some issues which put them in the middle of the pack.
  
  Reply
clarity says:

October 5, 2015 at 5:36 pm

Aside from the Froad Academy, Los Angeles needs to be on the lookout for the policies pushed out by this group. LA New Leaders Council. Take a look at the backgrounds of these so-called progressives who are the 2015 Fellows. KIPP and Teach for America

http://la.newleaderscouncil.org/2015_fellows

Reply