This is something that I constantly find myself absorbed in. I follow the recent news about charters being pushed out of public school building owned by New York City and am really trying to understand how the divide in education came to be what it is today. Personally, I favor public schools. I have no problem stating my preference. At the same time, if I am shopping for a new home, I heed what others have to say.
So far, I understand charter schools want to be recognized as public schools. I challenge this only because public schools are run by the DOE. Charter schools are not. So what makes a chsrter school a public school aside from its open enrollent? Even the open enrollment, however, it subject to lottery and contingent with good behavior by the student and ability to keep up with the curriculum.
Perhaps, I should take another route in explaining my concerns. When the Public School Society was first established, it was to educate blacks. It later expanded to serve orphans and the poor in general. Then ward schools were created to serve another population of orphans and poor children. In an article, The public school society ceases to exist the public and ward schools consolidated the combining of the free schools and ward schools is detailed from a law perspective (New York Daily Times, 1853). The information in the article outlines a law put into place because the lines were blurred between ward schools and public schools as described in The old public school society (New York Daily Times, 1855). This second article is also somewhat of a tribute to the founders of the Public School Society. In the last paragraph, the writers sarcastically tells those who are in favor of letting history die to stay home from a town hall meeting that would cover archiving the history of public schools (New York Daily Times, 1855).
So what does all of that mean? Well, I question what it means for the debate between charter and public schools. Will history repeat itself and combine the two "types" of schools? To what purpose? I appreciate the teachers union and the tight regulation the DOE has. It provides a sense of security for "Americans", as we are. More and more unions are being taken away and it takes with it JOB SECURITY. Then there is the issue of capitalism and where it has its hand in education. Why should big business run our schools instead of "we the people of the United States..."?
I guess my first question was, why not just invest into the NYC DOE's public schools to support teachers in implementing structure that will allow for every child to succeed and in the tools necessary to make that happen. As Ms. Reiter (a wonderful woman who my siblings know well) said "The success of children comes from good teaching". Thank you Ms. Reiter.
So far, I understand charter schools want to be recognized as public schools. I challenge this only because public schools are run by the DOE. Charter schools are not. So what makes a chsrter school a public school aside from its open enrollent? Even the open enrollment, however, it subject to lottery and contingent with good behavior by the student and ability to keep up with the curriculum.
Perhaps, I should take another route in explaining my concerns. When the Public School Society was first established, it was to educate blacks. It later expanded to serve orphans and the poor in general. Then ward schools were created to serve another population of orphans and poor children. In an article, The public school society ceases to exist the public and ward schools consolidated the combining of the free schools and ward schools is detailed from a law perspective (New York Daily Times, 1853). The information in the article outlines a law put into place because the lines were blurred between ward schools and public schools as described in The old public school society (New York Daily Times, 1855). This second article is also somewhat of a tribute to the founders of the Public School Society. In the last paragraph, the writers sarcastically tells those who are in favor of letting history die to stay home from a town hall meeting that would cover archiving the history of public schools (New York Daily Times, 1855).
So what does all of that mean? Well, I question what it means for the debate between charter and public schools. Will history repeat itself and combine the two "types" of schools? To what purpose? I appreciate the teachers union and the tight regulation the DOE has. It provides a sense of security for "Americans", as we are. More and more unions are being taken away and it takes with it JOB SECURITY. Then there is the issue of capitalism and where it has its hand in education. Why should big business run our schools instead of "we the people of the United States..."?
I guess my first question was, why not just invest into the NYC DOE's public schools to support teachers in implementing structure that will allow for every child to succeed and in the tools necessary to make that happen. As Ms. Reiter (a wonderful woman who my siblings know well) said "The success of children comes from good teaching". Thank you Ms. Reiter.
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