2 of 4

Write now Article Tools

Page 2 of 3

of capable, influential people who advocate charter schools for the poverty-stricken and at-risk students.

While charter schools have gained the reputation of raising the bar of educational value to some, they have been categorized as elitist' and isolationist' to others.
Charter schools often produce impressive results because they are composed of impressive children. These children, however would not have become impressive if their environments were not such. I am reminded of the successful parents in South America who sent their children to American international schools so that they could easily transfer to US universities. These students had been reared by nannys in households where academic success was a sine qua non for acceptance similar to some private schools in the eastern states of the US. A diverse, holistic education was expected as a foundation for future careers. Their privilege' of attending alternative schools virtually guaranteed their future success.

The premise of charter schools was that the quality of education in an internationally-competitive society is increasingly recognizing of the superiority of countries other than the US. In order to be a viable competitor, educational stakeholders in the US, in their frustration with the intransigence of the educational complex, sought alternatives to the slow-turning wheels of progress and, desperately not wanting their children to fall victims of the system, began to conceive of educational alternatives that would raise the bar of educational quality to accommodate the potentials of their children.

Unfortunately, with the establishment of charter schools, the options have been made available to all, but embraced by only a handful. Charter schools have been established in the images of their founders. Vulnerable to criticism as it seems, these founders deserve the credit for pro-acting in a manner that rejects much of the national system of education. Indeed, urban groups in Denver and Chicago have received charters to operate schools in the fashion of the local culture.

Generally, there is lack of diversity in these schools. They seem to cater to those above-mentioned people destined for success in our society. Existing charter schools want to maintain their elite status and enjoy the respite from poor performance so they can focus on the not-so-basic extra-curricular areas of environmental projects, foreign language acquisition, and community service that public schools lack. Charter schools

• << previous page
• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Comprehending the charter school movement in America?
We want to hear your view. Write now!