Is The NAACP For The Children's Best Interest Or The Unions'?
From the WSJ, a study shows that black students in charter schools outperform their peers in traditional public schools -- by an average of 18 points (over the last four years of publicly available data per the California Charter Schools Association):
Crucially, the data show that charters' success isn't attributable to attracting students who are better equipped to learn from the start. "The African American populations in charter public and traditional public schools are very similar," notes the report, with the same level of parental education, similar household income and nearly identical attrition rates.The real difference is that charter schools are free of the traditional school system's union contracts and bureaucratic rules, which shorten the school day, stifle innovation and protect ineffective teachers. This autonomy doesn't guarantee charter success, but it allows the schools--and their students--to benefit from creativity, competition and accountability.
...Believe it or not, some people read this data not as an endorsement of better schools but as an indictment of reform and a sign of cultural imperialism. "We are concerned about the overrepresentation of charter schools in low-income and predominantly minority communities," wrote the NAACP, the National Action Network, the National Urban League, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition and others in a statement last year.
So more good schools in poor neighborhoods are a problem? Such statements show that the NAACP is still fighting the last civil-rights war, refusing to break with its teachers union allies from the 1960s even as another generation of black children is doomed to less equal educational opportunity.
Cultural imperialism? What exactly are they saying is being imposed? A good education? Are the people whom assert the charge of "Cultural imperialism" insisting that "black culture" be about poverty, ignorance, and poor education? Are they insisting an authentic "black experience" be devoid of a future?
Seriously? Someone explain how providing high quality schools that give a real education to children is somehow bad for black children?
Robert at October 21, 2011 5:00 AM
They want money. That's how these organizations work, and especially PUSH which is basically a shake down operation to support the Jackson clan.
How it works is that they scream RACISM or in this case CULTURAL IMPERIALISM and make a big fuss to create a controversy. Then the adults in charge give them money and power so that they'll shut up. Maybe the NAACP gets to place someone on the board of every charter school, and of course they get paid. Or they'll set up a new position at each school and allow these organizations to place their people, who'll get paid. Whatever the outcome, someone gets paid. It's all about getting paid.
titi at October 21, 2011 5:23 AM
What exactly are they saying is being imposed? A good education?
Yes.
Some people see that as a "white" thing.
I R A Darth Aggie at October 21, 2011 6:36 AM
"So more good schools in poor neighborhoods are a problem?"
Yes, they're a huge problem, when so many union teachers have cushy jobs-for-life with no accountability in shitty schools. Case in point: Robert Thompson offered $ 200 million to build 15 charter schools in Detroit in 2003. Thousands of teachers walked off the job and shouted vicious slanders at him. Mayor Kilpatrick & Governor Granholm turned him down:
http://reason.org/news/show/teacher-unions-crush-philanthr
All those black teachers saw charter schools as a threat to their employment. And the NAACP & allied politicians see angry teachers unions as a threat to their fundraising.
Martin at October 21, 2011 9:57 AM
It's been decades since the NAACP had any reason to exist. Today, it exists solely to provide cushy and ego-stroking jobs for its sanctimonious leaders.
All of the 20th-century civil rights movements have gone bad. Every one of them.
Cousin Dave at October 21, 2011 3:40 PM
Sadly, there are also a number of studies that suggest that charter schools cheat on their statewide assessments.
Note who put together the study reflecting favorable on charter schools - the California Charter Schools Association.
I'm sure they don't have a single reason to skew their data.
They have million$ of reasons to skew the data.
Always consider the source.
Rachel at October 21, 2011 9:03 PM
Sadly, there are also a number of studies that suggest that charter schools cheat on their statewide assessments.
As opposed to what? State schools whos funding i wholly dependant on test scores so more time is spent teach how to take the test then acctually learning materials?
Did you know in the state of AZ to pass the tests you only need to get 17 out of 36 questions right in each section to score in the "Exceeds the stanndard" bracket? 17 out of 36 would have gotten me a big 'ol 'F' when I was in school, today its considered an 'A'
Public schools and those who depend on maintaing the staus quo have just as many reasons to demonise charter schools Rachel.
lujlp at October 21, 2011 11:29 PM
"Sadly, there are also a number of studies that suggest that charter schools cheat on their statewide assessments."
Yeah, like this. Oh, snap...
Cousin Dave at October 22, 2011 4:28 PM
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