THE ISSUE: Tuesday, the N.C. legislature adjourned without passing a controversial bill concerning charter school funding. The issue seems likely to be reintroduced after the legislature is scheduled to reconvene in April. Editorial board members debate the merits of the ideas in the bill.
Check out the other viewpoint here.
Tuesday, the N.C. General Assembly did not pass House Bill 539, which proposed siphoning funds from public schools into charter schools. The legislature might consider the proposal again when it reconvenes but should resist misappropriating funds from our public schools to charters.
While imperfect, an integrated public school education has been a major mechanism for community success and long-term prosperity. Under the bill, excess funds, gifts or grants slated for public schools would have been shared with charters, which might or might not be providing the same services as public schools. Unlike public schools, charters are not required to provide affordable options, such as free and reduced lunch to their students. State coffers should not be directed to for-profit charters, which have existed as sites of de jure segregation in predominately white and middle-class neighborhoods.
Proponents of charter schools argue public schools are unable to be held accountable by taxpayers or flexible to student needs, in contrast to charter schools with a greater tendency for parental involvement and higher test scores. Education reform doesn’t happen overnight. While ideas for reform seem to be plenty (and misdirected toward creating charter schools), reformers should make an effort to focus their attention on supporting neighborhood schools.
