The bias inherent in some charter schools' admissions process

[Starry Messenger]

Thanks for finally noticing, LA Times.

http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-charter-application-20160808-snap-story.html

The parents have to write seven little essays of their own and then fill out the child’s medical history, including medications (an intrusive request that some critics say violates federal privacy law) — and remember, this isn’t for an accepted student to attend, but for a student to apply in the first place. It’s capped by the would-be student’s minimum three-page autobiography, typed, double spaced and “well constructed with varied structure.”

This is for a taxpayer-funded public school that, by law, all students are supposed to be able to attend, regardless of background. If too many sign up, enrollment is supposed to be handled by a lottery. That’s supposed to keep charter schools from cherry-picking students so they can show the best testing results, as they’ve long been accused of doing.

<snip>

The ACLU’s Southern California chapter partnered with Public Advocates to examine the application policies of 1,000 of the state’s 1,200 charter schools. A fourth of them, Roseland included, had a policy that could be used to exclude some types of students in violation of state law, including those with lower incomes or poorer English skills, the report showed, whether it was requiring parents to volunteer, demanding students’ academic histories or failing to provide services for special-education students. On some applications, the obstacles were relatively minor and easily corrected, but others appeared aimed at keeping out low-performing students or those whose families weren’t in a position to handle the complicated forms.

<snip>

In some cases, though, charter schools — public schools — are clearly laying out obstacles bigger than those in the applications of private universities, with requirements that put low-income students, foster children and those from poorly educated or immigrant families at a disadvantage. No students should have to write lengthy autobiographies or divulge their medical histories to a school that could then decide their asthma or history of cancer makes them a bad bet. Their autobiographies might include information about parental ties to the community or immigration status — information that no public school has a right to know. Parents shouldn’t have to volunteer on campus to get their kids into school — those who work two jobs, or have younger children to care for, probably don’t have the time — or write essays of their own, especially when they might not be literate.

Meanwhile--American Schools Are More Segregated Now Than They Were In 1968, And The Supreme Court Doesn’t Care

[msongs]

1. seperate AND unequal. that sort of thing used to be illegal nt

[MADem]

2. It's why I'm voting NO ON 2 in the Commonwealth of MA on 8 Sep.

Those YES brassturds are funding a very slick ad campaign that makes it sound like voting YES will bring the poor slobs with children "better PUBLIC schools." What it does is bring more cash to CHARTER schools.

I've explained the ad to about ten older people who were completely hornswoggled by it. They were APPALLED that they misunderstood it, too.

I really hope the "HELL NO" people fire up an ad close to the day.


I'd like to see the day when a kid gets the same EXCELLENT education, no matter what his or her zip code might be. Screw this "band aid on a gaping wound" approach.

FWIW, I have no children in public school at present--I just think those little farts ARE our future.

[Starry Messenger]

4. I hope it is defeated! Thank you, MADem.

They are very slick--and well-funded. They castigate those of us who point that out as reactionary haters of children and cape themselves in civil rights language.

This editorial infuriates me.

[MADem]

6. I have family in the teaching profession. I gotta say, it takes brass ones, these days.

One relation, who, sadly, was mowed down by a rich shit in a pricey sports car, had just retired after nearly four decades working in what the politicians charmingly call "underserved" schools. Every year she spent a good chunk of her salary on basic classroom needs--pencils, pens, paper, art supplies, etc. She went above and beyond, too, helping families with basic needs like clothing and food as well (she gave away her dining room set to a family that had no table to eat at, or a place for the children to do homework--that's the type of person she was--she said "Hell, I usually eat in the living room off the coffee table, anyway!).

I have a several in my family who work in public schools with special needs kids, too. They have more patience than I do, I couldn't do that work, I don't think....and it seems like every other year, the "funding" is threatened. They have little job security. To have to do such a stressful job and have the constant worry that your job will be 'cut' or you'll be saddled with a "Do More With Less" mandate is infuriating.

[appalachiablue]

3. K & R Big

[MADem]

5. Forgot to rec this the first time I passed by! REC!!! nt

[radical noodle]

7. K&R

As the wife of a teacher who retired after almost 40 years in the classroom and the mother of a special ed teacher, I know too well the barriers that have been put up by the right wing to ruin our public school system. It makes me sick to think they're getting away with this while some are also trying to take away tenure.