Charter schools don't merit equal funding

No equal funding for charter schools

Bishop Barrington Goldson touts the academic merits of charter schools “Give LI charter schools equal funding,” Opinion, Dec. 19]. He heads The Academy Charter School, Long Island’s largest charter network that addresses the “academic underperformance in Long Island’s poorest communities” where he says 98% of his students graduate within four years, and some are succeeding at prestigious universities.

Goldson makes an impassioned plea to seek equal funding with the state’s public schools to sustain the integrity of his and other charters.

Goldson neglects to say that charter schools are privately run, for-profit institutions that are publicly funded with tax dollars taken from those financially strapped public school districts supporting his academy.

Unlike public schools, charters select their students. If students do not meet the grades on standardized tests, they can be transferred back to their public school.

Unlike public schools, charters are not obligated to assist special education students. Historically, the working conditions and remuneration for teachers are inferior compared to the public schools.

Finally, charter schools are not accountable to meet the same state standards as public schools. Charter schools have their place as private enterprises but not at the taxpayer expense of local school districts and do not deserve equal funding by the State Legislature.

— Fred Seiden, North Babylon

Charter schools are trying to fix an education system that is broken for only a segment of students. Public schools are failing low-income students more than middle- and upper-income students. It’s clear that low-income students need a different approach, but more money has not been the answer.

Our current compulsory education system was developed in the mid-1800s to assimilate immigrants and train them for jobs. It has not changed much since then.

Changing the curriculum and the teaching methods for some students might help, but we won’t know until it is tried. We do know that the one-size-fits-all approach is not working for everyone.

Charter schools might achieve better results because they require applications. Parents who apply to charter schools would be more likely to be involved in their children’s education.

Moreover, if charter schools want equal funding from the public, they should have public elections for their boards and union membership for employees.

— Robert Cheeseman, Wantagh

The writer is a former elementary school teacher.