Royal Decree #2: Considering Charter Schools

Charter schools are a term and topic that have only recently come to my attention. The idea behind them is to offer an alternative to traditional public schools by having schools that are founded/staffed by passionate teachers, designed for specific age ranges, and more lucrative for parents wanting the best education for their children. Charter schools are named such because they rely on parents applying to send their children there instead of being assigned students in the nearby area, as traditionally public schools are; this application process has proven popular with parents, especially those of non-white households (as almost two-thirds of charter school students are minorities), as it allows these parents the power of choice for what they believe is best for their children. These schools are more autonomous than regular public schools, with extensive procedures to hire effective teachers and administrators, establish transportation, set standards and curriculum, etc. They are still accountable, however, both to the authorizing bodies (states, universities, organizations) and to the parents as well, to whom they rely on for continued enrollment.

 

Emerald Youth Academy, a
charter school in Knoxville, TN

When first hearing of the option of charter schools myself, I was amazed at the idea; being able to have increased choice for your child's education besides moving to another school district sounded phenomenal. While these schools are not widespread enough currently to be available to all Americans, as I never encountered or heard of one where I grew up, they still remain a valid option when around. Having once again learning about these schools from a State Politics class in my Junior year of college, I have begun to understand why such a concept is both powerful and potentially divisive; on one hand I can see the benefits of more specialized option for students and parents, but I can also see the arguments against them of these schools being easily corrupted and taking away resources from traditional schools. Personally, I am a man who enjoys choices; even if I did not agree with a particular charter school in my area, having the option away from traditional public and private schools and recognizing the impact these schools have had on less fortunate communities cannot be undervalued.