Comments on: City Council moves to regulate city’s placement of charter schools http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Julie http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-134804 Julie Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:22:48 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-134804 It is false that charter schools do not have to pay rent in NYC public school space (as anonymously posted) that is given to them and STOLEN from public schools... they get it for FREE, just like they get food, transportion and other resources beyond the over $12,000 per pupil public money they get. The charter school agenda being propagated by this administration is an assult on public schools, drains their resources, and is the road to privatization. Do your research and be informed! Bloomberg and Klein want to close half of public schools and double the number of charter schools in their next term (if they get it) and we as citizens can not allow this to happen. Public schools are the pillar of our democracy and any attempt to create a 'class' system within education would be a monumental detriment to our society, to our children. This is not about the union... do not fall victim to the politicizing of our educational system! Protect and preserve public education and use our resources and efforts to create real and sustainable reforms within the system we have. The logic that charter schools perform better is a flatly false and is a manipulation of numbers and the claim that public schools are failing in areas charters are targeting is also plainly false. These two talking points are propaganda techniques aimed to propagate an agenda designed to further marginalize those who are already most marginalized in our society. Read up. Be informed and fight to preserve public education and stand in oppostion to the Bloomberg educational agenda! It is false that charter schools do not have to pay rent in NYC public school space (as anonymously posted) that is given to them and STOLEN from public schools… they get it for FREE, just like they get food, transportion and other resources beyond the over $12,000 per pupil public money they get. The charter school agenda being propagated by this administration is an assult on public schools, drains their resources, and is the road to privatization. Do your research and be informed! Bloomberg and Klein want to close half of public schools and double the number of charter schools in their next term (if they get it) and we as citizens can not allow this to happen. Public schools are the pillar of our democracy and any attempt to create a ‘class’ system within education would be a monumental detriment to our society, to our children. This is not about the union… do not fall victim to the politicizing of our educational system! Protect and preserve public education and use our resources and efforts to create real and sustainable reforms within the system we have. The logic that charter schools perform better is a flatly false and is a manipulation of numbers and the claim that public schools are failing in areas charters are targeting is also plainly false. These two talking points are propaganda techniques aimed to propagate an agenda designed to further marginalize those who are already most marginalized in our society. Read up. Be informed and fight to preserve public education and stand in oppostion to the Bloomberg educational agenda!

]]> By: F. Featherstone http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-91400 F. Featherstone Thu, 09 Apr 2009 02:44:42 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-91400 Did I miss something? Lappin is still waiting for a school for the PS 151 zone. It's been nine years. Is that her example of working with DOE? If the DOE placed new charters the way they place schools in her district, that is they simply don't, then true, there would not be an issue. Did I miss something? Lappin is still waiting for a school for the PS 151 zone. It’s been nine years. Is that her example of working with DOE? If the DOE placed new charters the way they place schools in her district, that is they simply don’t, then true, there would not be an issue.

]]> By: Pogue http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90768 Pogue Tue, 07 Apr 2009 23:38:50 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90768 Bloomberg and Klein to kids: "Drop dead, we'll pass you anyway." Bloomberg and Klein to kids: “Drop dead, we’ll pass you anyway.”

]]> By: KitchenSink http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90734 KitchenSink Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:23:03 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90734 Randi to kids: "Drop dead." Randi to kids: “Drop dead.”

]]> By: KitchenSink http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90733 KitchenSink Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:21:41 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90733 Unfortunately, anonymous, the union masters pulling the puppet strings on this one are not thinking short-term. They (Randi, UFT, NYSUT leadership) are trying to maintain the monopoly they have had for so long on "teacher voice," that is now apparently being threatened by schools where teachers actually have a choice as to whether they will collectively bargain or not. It's not short term at all to be concerned about the dues they lose every time a charter school opens and the teachers don't choose to organize with the UFT. It's too bad that the UFT operates this way - Al Shanker is turning in his grave over this agenda, not the way charter schools are run. If the UFT was really for positive education reform and NYSUT was really "a union of professionals," don't you think more of the hordes of charter school teachers would want to sign up and organize? It's such big news at KIPP AMP, and then we are hearing that the teachers at KIPP don't really want to be represented by the UFT after all. I wouldn't, if I were a charter school teacher, after what NYSUT did to charter schools in the state budget debacle. Unfortunately, anonymous, the union masters pulling the puppet strings on this one are not thinking short-term. They (Randi, UFT, NYSUT leadership) are trying to maintain the monopoly they have had for so long on “teacher voice,” that is now apparently being threatened by schools where teachers actually have a choice as to whether they will collectively bargain or not.

It’s not short term at all to be concerned about the dues they lose every time a charter school opens and the teachers don’t choose to organize with the UFT.

It’s too bad that the UFT operates this way – Al Shanker is turning in his grave over this agenda, not the way charter schools are run. If the UFT was really for positive education reform and NYSUT was really “a union of professionals,” don’t you think more of the hordes of charter school teachers would want to sign up and organize? It’s such big news at KIPP AMP, and then we are hearing that the teachers at KIPP don’t really want to be represented by the UFT after all.

I wouldn’t, if I were a charter school teacher, after what NYSUT did to charter schools in the state budget debacle.

]]> By: Anonymously http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90677 Anonymously Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:00:22 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90677 What's sad is that people who are angry at the mayor or DOE are being encouraged to take their frustration out on charter schools. Concerned parents and citizens are being sold a very effective line about Charter schools receiving "special treatment" to the detriment of public schools. This is simply not the case. Charters receive funding on a two-year lag which means they wait 2 YEARS to get the same funding increases (or decreases) as public schools. Charters are not guaranteed building space by the DOE which means that many have to pay rent and be extremely aggressive about soliciting grants and donations to make ends meet. For all that charter schools ARE public schools and they are comprised of the same kinds of kids, teachers and administrators as regular public schools. I don't know to what extent the public even realizes that they are being used to fight battles that have NOTHING to do with effective education and everything to do with political land-grabbing. I think it's completely reasonable to expect a seat at the table if a school is opening in your district. But that's not what this meeting was really about. It was about taking a shot at the perceived "favorite child" to get back at the Mayor. By limiting charter schools' access to public money and space, you won't be limiting charter schools, you'll be limiting the KINDS of charter schools that will be available. In this climate, only the biggest with the richest, most politically plugged-in backers will survive. Charter schools are not going to go away but if this kind of partisan bs continues they will cease to become innovative, exceptional alternatives for all NY students. This mayor won't be around forever. Is it worth limiting kids' educational opportunities in the long term to land a political blow in the short-term? What’s sad is that people who are angry at the mayor or DOE are being encouraged to take their frustration out on charter schools. Concerned parents and citizens are being sold a very effective line about Charter schools receiving “special treatment” to the detriment of public schools. This is simply not the case. Charters receive funding on a two-year lag which means they wait 2 YEARS to get the same funding increases (or decreases) as public schools. Charters are not guaranteed building space by the DOE which means that many have to pay rent and be extremely aggressive about soliciting grants and donations to make ends meet.

For all that charter schools ARE public schools and they are comprised of the same kinds of kids, teachers and administrators as regular public schools. I don’t know to what extent the public even realizes that they are being used to fight battles that have NOTHING to do with effective education and everything to do with political land-grabbing.

I think it’s completely reasonable to expect a seat at the table if a school is opening in your district. But that’s not what this meeting was really about. It was about taking a shot at the perceived “favorite child” to get back at the Mayor. By limiting charter schools’ access to public money and space, you won’t be limiting charter schools, you’ll be limiting the KINDS of charter schools that will be available. In this climate, only the biggest with the richest, most politically plugged-in backers will survive.

Charter schools are not going to go away but if this kind of partisan bs continues they will cease to become innovative, exceptional alternatives for all NY students. This mayor won’t be around forever. Is it worth limiting kids’ educational opportunities in the long term to land a political blow in the short-term?

]]> By: crusader http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90623 crusader Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:46:00 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90623 Ha ha. Randi Weingartnen is full of horse hockey. She knows Reagan' writ of plausible deniability very well. She says it's "regrettable" that her union distributed these puppet-master question cards to Council members when she knew that it was going on all along. Kudos to Simcha Felder for inviting us all in on this shameful game. Like Mayor Bloomberg said a long time ago -- the school system should be run for the benefit of children, not for adults. At least we know where the UFT's interests truly lie. Ha ha. Randi Weingartnen is full of horse hockey. She knows Reagan’ writ of plausible deniability very well. She says it’s “regrettable” that her union distributed these puppet-master question cards to Council members when she knew that it was going on all along. Kudos to Simcha Felder for inviting us all in on this shameful game. Like Mayor Bloomberg said a long time ago — the school system should be run for the benefit of children, not for adults. At least we know where the UFT’s interests truly lie.

]]> By: Chicago Teacher http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90323 Chicago Teacher Tue, 07 Apr 2009 04:17:40 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90323 Why do charters have fewer ELL and special needs students? Widely accepted are student "creaming" (through application process/unsupervised "lottery"), attrition (chosen by family or admin-encouraged). Now we're hearing parent rumblings (louder and louder) that some charters do not serve these students well, mostly because of under-staffing and inexperienced teachers. In Chicago, charters add another track to our city-wide tracking ed "system". Top -- selective enrollment. Mid - charters. Low -- neighborhood schools. Charters are more like the third rail for too many high needs students. There ought to be a law ... oh, there is. Entities receiving public funding may not discriminate. But then there's reality ... and lack of enforcement because charter funders are paying some of the city's education costs, while the city employs fewer teachers/admin -- another cost-saver! Why do charters have fewer ELL and special needs students? Widely accepted are student “creaming” (through application process/unsupervised “lottery”), attrition (chosen by family or admin-encouraged). Now we’re hearing parent rumblings (louder and louder) that some charters do not serve these students well, mostly because of under-staffing and inexperienced teachers.
In Chicago, charters add another track to our city-wide tracking ed “system”. Top — selective enrollment. Mid – charters. Low — neighborhood schools. Charters are more like the third rail for too many high needs students.
There ought to be a law … oh, there is. Entities receiving public funding may not discriminate. But then there’s reality … and lack of enforcement because charter funders are paying some of the city’s education costs, while the city employs fewer teachers/admin — another cost-saver!

]]> By: leonie haimson http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90211 leonie haimson Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:45:01 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90211 Jessica Lappin is being disingenuous by saying that the DOE has worked together with parents and community members in the siting of new traditional public schools. In fact, they make the same sort of unilateral and often destructive decisions in the creation and placement of the new smalls schools as they do with charters. Jessica Lappin is being disingenuous by saying that the DOE has worked together with parents and community members in the siting of new traditional public schools.

In fact, they make the same sort of unilateral and often destructive decisions in the creation and placement of the new smalls schools as they do with charters.

]]> By: NYC Educator http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90029 NYC Educator Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:35:07 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90029 It's absolutely unacceptable to allow communities to get involved with what sort of schools are permitted in their neighborhoods. If Mayor Bloomberg is not permitted to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, to whomever he wants, it could be a very dangerous precedent. If he can't do that, what indeed was the point of overturning the term limits city residents had twice affirmed? Checks and balances are simply un-American, and frankly, I have to question your patriotism for even mentioning them at all. I agree with Cerf that it's morally wrong to help struggling schools and I think it's absolutely imperative that he continue to treat them like bastard stepchildren. After all, everyone knows that good neighborhood schools add absolutely nothing to a community. It’s absolutely unacceptable to allow communities to get involved with what sort of schools are permitted in their neighborhoods. If Mayor Bloomberg is not permitted to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, to whomever he wants, it could be a very dangerous precedent. If he can’t do that, what indeed was the point of overturning the term limits city residents had twice affirmed?

Checks and balances are simply un-American, and frankly, I have to question your patriotism for even mentioning them at all. I agree with Cerf that it’s morally wrong to help struggling schools and I think it’s absolutely imperative that he continue to treat them like bastard stepchildren. After all, everyone knows that good neighborhood schools add absolutely nothing to a community.

]]> By: leonie haimson http://gothamschools.org/2009/04/06/city-council-moves-to-regulate-citys-placement-of-charter-schools/comment-page-1/#comment-90024 leonie haimson Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:30:21 +0000 http://gothamschools.org/?p=12509#comment-90024 I'll tell you what's morally wrong -- denying the provision of small classes and extracurriculars to our regular public schools, while encouraging these same advantages in charter schools. The hypocrisy of this administration never ceases to amaze me. I’ll tell you what’s morally wrong — denying the provision of small classes and extracurriculars to our regular public schools, while encouraging these same advantages in charter schools. The hypocrisy of this administration never ceases to amaze me.

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