The more schools without teacher-union influence the better for everyone...

It is a sad day for traditional Public Education when the Commissioner finds that granting additional charters, of unlicensed and non-certified teachers is a better option than truly investing in the older, urban school districts that need it: Boston, Lawrence, Lowell, Chelsea. The voting public and taxpayer ought to know the real truth about these charters, like Pioneer, who recruits teachers from Lebanon, who work on expired green cards and visas to teach our kids.

I  am appalled at the fact that these for-profit charter schools do not serve children with special neeeds or children with limited english proficiency.  Oh, and does my child get enrolled in a small, resource draining charter school, by a rigged lottery system that very few hear and learn about. Those that are fortunate enough to know about it are usually those active moms and dads who have pledged to raise money for the school and sign contracts with the school and basically sells their souls to the charter so that their "bingo" ball lands in their favor.

Charter schools will never admit any fallibility, but do love to demonize and tear down traditional public schools. Charter school operators, who all have business backgrounds, make windfall profits from the corporate takeover of our public school system. They have bamboozled many people into believing that their schools are superior. Traditional schools should be lauded for teaching every child in the United States of America - regardless of socio-economic background, English language proficiency, level of special needs parental involvement, and behavioral issues. Charters, despite what they advertise, do not teach ALL children. By and large they adhere to a business model that cuts costs by hiring younger inexperienced teachers, pushing out students who do not "fit", not backfilling the seats of those who leave (there is not transfer midyear), and demonizing their opposition (traditional public schools). Their "war chest" for propaganda, union demonization, and data manipulation knows no bounds. The affluent foundations have fallen in love with them; they see additional profit on the horizon. One day the truth will be told. God Bless America, home of public education for all. Let's help, not HURT our public schools!

Massachusetts Charter schools are not level funded by the students they serve, but by the "average" the sending district spends on all its students.  To educate a Regular Ed student in a Boston Public traditional School (BPS) cost $11,558.  However, when you add the cost of all the BPS Special Ed & ELL students, the cost averages out to $14,704.  Charter schools are paid the "average" $14,704. even though their population of students are mostly regular ed, and in no way reflects the English Language Learner (ELL) and Special Education (SPED) demographic of the Boston Public Schools!

What a windfall for these charter schools! Not only do charters not service our SPED or ELL students, they legally swindle BPS children out of  $3,146+ per student!  That money comes out of the budgets of traditional BPS schools that are left servicing Boston's neediest children!  That $3,146. represents services that  schools are not able to provide for the neediest children remaining in Boston’s traditional public schools; the money is just not there!  Taxpaying families of students in Boston’s traditional schools should revolt and file a suit against the city and state!  After 12 years your child is not getting $37,752 worth of services that another child in a Boston, paid for, charter school is getting! It is even more when you consider the 5% yearly increases anticipated and budgeted for charter schools by the BPS!

Just before I saw this article, I made a post about Commissioner Chester’s recommendations on bluemassgroup.com it can be found here:  http://bluemassgroup.com/2013/02/madoe-commissioner-mitchell-chester-listen-up/