Please read the excellent letter in the New York Times by Jitu Brown, director of Journey for Justice, defending the decision of the NAACP to call for a moratorium on charter schools.
Jitu was one of the leaders of the Dyett hunger strike, in which a group of community activists refused to eat for 34 days until the city of Chicago agreed not to close the last open-enrollment high school in their community. They won and the school reopened this fall.
Jitu is an authentic civil rights leader in Chicago and nationally. He has organized parents in major cities to fight back and speak out against school closings.
He is also a valued member of the board of directors of the Network for Public Education.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Interesting that the two letters to the NYT IN SUPPORT of the editorial were from pro-charter lobby groups. Good to see that the Times makes their alliances transparent. I am watching the charter school situation from across the Pacific (Melbourne, Australia) with interest and strong support for those fighting for public education! There are plenty of us here who are worried that a similar story might occur here – our public school systems are also under threat.
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David, you assert that the two letters supporting charters are from pro-charter lobby groups. I can’t speak for the other letter. But I can more accurately describe the Center for School Change, which I founded in 1988 after being receiving awards from parent, student and professional groups for my 14 years of work with urban district public schools. TheCenter for School Change, has worked since 1988 to help strengthen district public schools and to expand public school options for families.
That can be via schools within schools, new district options, opportunities for high school students to take college level courses full or part time on college campuses, or on high school campuses.
The thrust of American history is to expand opportunities in a vast array of ways. Among other things, that means that it is not just wealthy families who have educational options within public education.
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What about the 3,000 black children whose families don’t want charter schools? Recently I attended a school zoning meeting in our district in NYC. Several black families from Harlem were complaining about how their public school was being forced out of its building by one of those horrible Success Academies. They were literally pleading for help. This was not the first time I heard black families complaining about charter schools. You like to say you speak on behalf of black families, but only the ones who say what you want to hear.
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David,
I am very worried that this infection might spread to Norway as well. One can never say never, as egalitarian my country is. You are right to worry.
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Diane, ed reformers in Pennsylvania are trying to push through another charter expansion by selling it as “charter reform”.
As you know, Pennsylvania already has one of the worst charter sectors in the country- it rivals Ohio and Michigan as “worst”, actually.
It’s a blatantly deceptive piece of work and they’re doing one of those end-of-session rushes to get it thru.
The new law looks a lot like the charter expansion Ohio pushed thru in 2011 – this is a template lobbyists are using nationally- wholly arbitrary expansion- nothing whatever to do with “quality”. This law actually LOWERS the bar for charter schools:
“One final concern I wish to mention is a new performance matrix created by HB 530 that would be used to measure the academic performance of charter schools and to assess renewal terms. This matrix is the only measure that may be used by school boards for evaluating charter schools. In current law, charters can be revoked for poor academic performance. Additionally, under case law, if a charter school does not meet specific, measurable academic benchmarks required under federal law, it may be subject to charter revocation if the sending school districts are performing better. House Bill 530 eliminates the ability to compare charter schools and their sending school districts and undermines the original intent of the Charter School Law to create schools that provide something above and beyond what is provided by traditional public schools. Oh, and guess who creates this matrix? The previously mentioned commission that is weighted in favor of charter school representatives.”
Completely arbitrary expansion: if a school has “charter” in the name it can expand, no matter the effects to children in surrounding public schools and no matter the “quality” of the charter school. Whole districts will be eradicated, leaving parents with no “choice” at all but to attend the privatized schools.
http://thenotebook.org/articles/2016/10/21/charter-expansion-bill-is-all-tricks-no-treats-for-pennsylvania-taxpayers
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“this is a template lobbyists are using nationally”
It’s called ALEC!
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Yes, America the templated!
Cut and paste, bribe, cut and paste, bribe, legislate, cut and paste some more, bribe, bribe, bribe.
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Schools need to stay in the neighborhoods. People would care about the area more. Crime would go down. Now people abandon schools instead of fighting for their area. They RUN AWAY
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That “running away” has been going on since the 50s.
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The ed reform chorus have seized on the word “arbitrary” to say caps on Boston charter schools “don’t make sense”.
I would just like to point out that these are the very same people who arbitrarily expanded charter schools in PA, OH, and MI although THEY KNEW the sector was a mess.
In fact, the Obama Administration arbitrarily expanded charter schools in 38 states regardless of quality or the effect on existing public schools through Race to the Top. They made federal funding CONTINGENT on arbitrary expansion of their preferred sector.
There is actually NO example of anyone in ed reform ever capping charters based on “quality”- they cheerlead for Ohio expansion with the same zealous pom-pom shaking as they do for Boston expansion. Their advocacy on expanding charters is exactly the same in every city and state. Nothing whatever to do with “quality”
In Ohio they “flooded the market” with charters. They only backed off when every newspaper in the state called foul. They’d still be doing it if media hadn’t exposed it.
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/10/19/king-charter-schools-caps/92431532/
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More than 3,000 African American parents whose children attend charters or are on waiting lists for charters, have signed this letter to the NAACP Board. Clearly there differences among African Americans, as there are among other groups, about their views on chartering.
http://www.charterswork.com/
Our letter to the NAACP
WHAT PARENTS HAVE TO SAY TO THE NAACP
Dear NAACP Board of Directors:
As Black parents with children in charter schools and on charter school wait lists, we are writing to ask you to rethink the NAACP’s recent resolution calling for a moratorium on charter schools.
The NAACP is an organization to which we are deeply rooted and for which we have tremendous respect. Our grandparents fought with the NAACP for civil rights, and our children benefit from these efforts today. And we stand with the NAACP in its continued commitment to protect voting rights and oppose police violence.
But we recently learned about the NAACP’s resolution calling for a moratorium on the growth of charter schools, and believe it is simply wrong. It does not represent our voices, or that of the communities where we live. From Seattle, to Oklahoma City, to Houston, New York, and New Jersey, we see charter schools offering parents of color hope that their children can have a better future.
Our support for charter schools is not abstract, but instead based on our personal experience.
Our children are thriving in charter schools. Their charter schools are unique, but they all offer environments that focus on learning, are staffed by teachers from our communities, and ensure classrooms based on respect and dignity.
Some of our children want to attend a charter school, but cannot. That’s because, like thousands of deserving kids, they are waitlisted. And the moratorium would make it even harder for students of color to get a spot in a quality charter school.
We understand that charter schools—like other public schools—are not perfect, but we know firsthand that many charter schools are giving our children opportunities that they wouldn’t have otherwise. We don’t care about labels when it comes to public schools, we only see schools where our children succeed and others where our children struggle. We can’t afford to turn our backs on any schools where our children are beating the odds.
We urge you to hear our voices as parents and vote against this resolution. And if you need more evidence, visit a charter school and see for yourselves how charter schools are serving children of color. Our kids are counting on you.
Shirline Wilson
Parent
Rainier Prep Student
Seattle, Washington Jody Pittman
Parent
KIPP Thrive Academy Student
Newark, New Jersey Gary Jones
Parent
KIPP Reach Academy Student
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Rosezina Williams
Parent
KIPP Sunnyside High School, A Plus Unlimited Potential
Houston, Texas Latoya Taitt
Parent
Henry Johnson Charter School
Albany, New York Janet Griggs
Wait List Grandparent
Houston, Texas
LATEST SIGNERS
Jocelyn F.
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St. Louis, MO Ameesha J.
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Brooklyn, NY Damita W.
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Houston, TX Damita W.
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Houston, TX Mayra V.
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Bronx, NY Andrea D.
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Bronx, NY Irlem G.
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Bronx, NY Dr Rhonda C.
Charter School Parent
Washington, DC Bahati A.
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Albuquerque, NM jose j.
Charter School Parent
New York, NY
Markisha B.
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Atlanta, GA Ard R.
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Danielle N.
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Atlanta, GA Cherie R.
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Riverside, CA jo r.
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New Albany, IN Nina H.
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Atlanta, GA Tracy B.
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Los Angeles, CA Delphine B.
Charter School Parent
St. Louis, MO Agustina M.
Charter School Parent
New York, NY
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Joe,
Just to be clear: You favor defunding the public schools that are open to all children for the benefit of the few. Right?
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Diane,
It would be interesting to Acertain Mr. Nathan’s annual salary from all organizations he is part of or leads.
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My annual salary is $36,000. I also make about $2,000 a year as a free lance writer.
Now – how about responding to the 3,000 African American parents who favor chartering as an option?
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Joe,
Your list of 3,000 charter parents is like Eva parading her students in matching T-shirts to demand more money and more schools for Eva.
Are you suggesting your list of 3,000 names is more powerful than the national NAACP, The Movement for Black Lives, and Journey for Justice?
Why don’t you debate Jitu Brown, a real civil rights activist?
The Waltons and Koch brothers would gladly sponsor you.
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Your comment reflects an Interesting attitude toward parents, Diane. Parents aren’t forced to attend charters.
In terms of a debate – I’ll be glad to debate. How about a debate with Howard Fuller or Deborah McGriff – both veteran inner city African American activists, you, and your Chicago board member?
Perhaps you could endow, or help endow that, as you’ve endowed a speaker series of selected speakers at Wellesley?
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Why don’t you get your friends the Koch brothers to sponsor a debate?
My meager endowment at Wellesley pales in comparison with the millions lavished on trying to trick the people of Massachusetts into letting Wall Street and the Daltons privatize their public schools.
Both Howard Fuller and his wife Deborah McGriff were friends when I was part of the conservative think-tank world. If they agree to acknowledge the millions they have received from the Waltons and the Bradley Foundation of Milwaukee to promote vouchers, I’ll gladly debate them, and I will make a full disclosure of what I get to advocate for public schools. $0.
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I’ve never met the Kochs. And I don’t have the financial resources necessary to endow a lecture series. The debate was your idea.
I’m also still wondering why it’s ok for state $ to follow affluent families to exclusive suburbs, some of which have detectives to keep low income people out of their schools, but it’s not ok for $ to follow low income families to a school that is open to all families.
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Charter schools are not open to all families. Many have exclusionary policies, to keep out the low-scoring kids, and many push them out later. See Jersey Jazzman’s post today about the Boston charters.
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So you are opposed to state funds going to any school has admissions tests? (that would eliminate public funds for exclusive magnet schools in NYC and many other cities)
You are opposed to any state funds going to schools that are not run by locally elected school boards? (That would eliminate public funds for NYC, Chicago and a number of other places – where the district is not run by locally elected boards.
Here’s are a few other ideas – how about suggesting that Wellsley use your endowment next year to
* sponsor a debate about chartering or
* bring to campus reps of several outstanding Boston Pilot and Boston charter schools or
* Sponsor a trip for Wellesley students to visit some outstanding Boston Pilot and Boston charter schools, as well as Boston Latin (which uses standardized tests for admissions tests)
* or sponsor a trip for students from several outstanding Boston Pilot and Boston charter public schools.
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Joe,
You are playing dumb. I am opposed to public funds going to for-profit schools, I am opposed to public funds going to private K-12 schools, I am opposed to public funds going to schools that are controlled by private, corporate boards.
As you well know, there are public schools with admissions tests. When students are not accepted into those selective schools (like Stuyvesant or Bronx Science in NYC), the public schools must find another place for them. If kids are not accepted into Success Academy or any other charter schools, no one is responsible for them. They are kicked to the curb.
That is the difference between public schools and charter schools. Charter schools can accept whoever they want and kick out whoever they want, and their responsibility is ended for the ones they don’t want. Public schools must find a schools for every child, regardless of their language, sexual orientation, disability status, race, or ethnic origin.
Why don’t you start your own blog?
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Thanks for the clarifications.
As far as writing, I write a weekly column in Minnesota that is published by a 15-20 weekly suburban and rural Mn newspapers. People sometimes comment, which I welcome.
One of the things a number of us in Minnesota found as we worked for a terrific marriage equality amendment to our state constitution (which passed) was the value of calm, hopefully respectful dialogue with others. That’s what I try to do here and elsewhere.
I appreciate the opportunity you provide to listen, learn and share. I hope you and others will feel free to share reactions to newspaper columns that I write:
http://hometownsource.com/tag/joe-nathan/?category=columns-opinion
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Joe, before you plead poverty, I note that your funding comes from many of those who would turn our public schools over to the private sector, including the far-right Bradley Foundation and the far-right, anti-union Walton Foundation.
From your website:
Funding for the Center has come from the Annenberg, Bigelow, Blandin, Best Buy, Bradley, Otto Bremer, Cargill, Carlson, Frey, Bill and Melinda Gates, General Mills, Joyce, Minneapolis, Peters, Pohlad, St. Paul, St. Paul Companies, TCF, Travelers, Rockefeller, Wallin, and Walton Foundations, the Carnegie Corporation, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Initiative Funds, and the Minnesota and U.S. Departments of Education.
FYI: I am not funded by anyone. No one is paid by me, and I am paid by no one. I advocate for public schools because public education, democratically governed, is a pillar of our democracy.
Privatization of public services, in my view, is a raid on the public treasury and a theft of the commons.
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The funding listed describes sources of funding since 1988. We’ve been funded by a variety of groups across the political and philosophical spectrum.
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Joe,
Are you currently funded by the Walton Family Foundation, the Gates Foundation, or the Bradley Foundation?
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No.
We’re funded by the Bigelow, Bremer, Carlson and St. Paul Foundations (all based in the Minneapolis-ST. Paul area) plus Generation Next (a coalition of goal funders). The goal of all these grants is to increase the number of high school students in district & charter public schools who are participating successful in programs where they earn college credit.
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Diane, do you oppose allowing wealthy families to move to exclusive suburbs, with state funds following them? There are many wealthy suburbs who have no interest whatever in serving all the students in the metropolitan areas in which they operate. Are you working to eliminate that option for wealthy families? Are you working to make it illegal for suburban districts to hire detectives to keep out students? T
There also are a number of elite magnet schools – including some in NYC, that have no interest in serving all children. Are you telling your readers to work for elimination of magnet schools
I think we ALL gain when more students succeed. Our Center has helped increase overall student achievement in Cincinnati and St. Paul.
We’ve helped create new options both within district schools, and chartered schools, for students with whom traditional schools have not succeeded.
just to be clear, I favor more funds for all public schools that serve higher percentages of low income families – and we’ve been able to do that in Minnesota. I also favor applying the same principle for public school choice that operates when wealthy families move to suburbs – that state $ follow students.
We’ve helped create urban district options that have attracted some suburban families into urban district schools. I count that as a success.
I think we ALL gain when more students succeed. Our Center has helped increase overall student achievement. We’ve helped create new options both within district schools, and chartered schools, for students with whom traditional schools have not succeeded.
Confining low income families to neighborhood public schools, while allowing affluent families to send their children to exclusive suburban public schools, does not seem like a just, equitable way to serve all families. And the 3,000 thousand African American parents whose signed the petition posted above apparently agree.
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Joe,
The charter movement was recently endorsed by Trump. He adds his voice to ALEC, the Koch brothers, the Waltons, and all the Republican governor’s who want to destroy public education.
Why is your movement now the darling of Wall Street?
We need a public school system that takes responsibility for all children, not just a few.
Privatization never provides equity. It magnifies inequity and favors the few.
Why so much rightwing support for charters?
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You did not respond to questions about the affluent exclusive suburbs, Diane. Do you oppose allowing state $ to go to affluent exclusive suburbs? Do you oppose allowing suburbs to hire detectives to keep out students from low income families? Do you oppose allowing “public schools” in your and other cities to keep out kids who can’t score very high on standardized tests that you regularly criticize (you mentioned quite recently on them)
As to conservatives who favor choice – I was trained by Saul Alinsky at the Industrial Areas Foundation in Chicago. He talked about the value of putting together coalitions of people who might agree on one or two things, and disagree on others.
Do you oppose expanding Head Start and other early childhood programs because some conservative business people have concluded that Head Start can be a good idea?
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Joe,
I support equitable funding for all public schools. That means that public money is equalized between schools in affluent districts and poor districts. Imagine what big-city schools could do if they had the same funding as affluent suburbs. I support public schools. I oppose privatization. I oppose corporate charter chains coming into a community and canceling the voices of parents and communities. I support accountability and transparency for all schools receiving public money.
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Diane, I agree that things could (not necessarily would, but could) be better if inner city districts had as much money to spend as affluent districts. Both Minneapolis and ST Paul districts receive and spend thousands of dollars more than many wealthy districts.
I also support putting more state $ behind students from low income students than affluent students. We’ve been able to do that in Minnesota. Perhaps that is something your organization will take on.
It sounds like you are ok with dollars following students to affluent, exclusive suburban districts but not ok with dollars to follow low income students to charters that are ok to all. It’s clear to many low income families that this is the stance of many charter opponents – that’s why these folks are standing up for charters.
I also oppose low income families being force to attend any public school – district or charter. Are you ok with forcing low income families to attend a neighborhood school if that is the only option that the school board provides?
And I’m all for transparency and accountability for public school funds.
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