■INFORMEDdebate
YES
from members:
Valerie Land
Oxnard, CA
Charter schools
give the disadvan-
taged an opportu-
nity at an education
they might not have
received otherwise.
Jack Robertson
Burnet, TX
[Charter schools] release government
control of our choices
for the best education for our children.
MEDIA BAKERY
Maria Cristina Milo
Miami, FL
NO
Char Ter sChools are independent, tuition-free elementary or high schools
that receive public money and private donations. They are not subject to
some of the rules, regulations and statutes that apply to traditional public
schools but are held accountable for delivering certain academic results.
supporters say that charter schools offer a greater range of educational
choices, more innovative programs and a higher quality of education than
traditional public schools. since charter schools are created by the commu-
nities in which they operate they can provide exactly what the community
needs, supporters add.
Critics argue that charter schools do not necessarily produce better
academic results and that public schools also have innovative programs.
Charter schools consume critical tax dollars, they add, money that would be
better spent in our traditional public school system.
What do you think?
from members:
Peter Fisher
Madison, WI
The future of our
country rests
on public educa-
tion and charter
schools tend to
be based on narrow issues
and views.
Darlene Velasco
Phoenix, AZ
Charter schools cater
to kids who can’t
fit into a traditional
learning system, only
making them feel
more isolated.
Find out more about this topic on the Web:
•
www.wikipedia.org (Search “charter schools”)
•
www.centerforpubliceducation.org
(Search “charter schools: finding out the facts”)
•
www.chartergrowthfund.org
Kenneth Siderius
Kalispell, MT
If parents were
involved in public
schools like they
are in charter
schools, we could
achieve the same results.
18 The Costco Connection AUGUST 2012
