To: Tate Reeves, Lt. Governor, Philip Gunn (MS-56), The Mississippi State House, The Mississippi State Senate, and Governor Phil Bryant
Mississippi United Against Charter Schools
We, the people of Mississippi are united in our demands that the all members of the Legislature (especially Speaker Gunn), Governor Bryant, Lt. Governor Reeves refuse to propose, approve, and implement any Charter School legislation and other "school choice"/voucher legislation and focus on fixing our already existing public education system -- we do not need an entirely separate and unequal education system where privatization will siphon much needed funds to benefit corporate cronies and not the students it is supposedly intended to benefit. Charter Schools are not the answer to MS's education problems, forcing the vast majority to languish without any real education reform to help them achieve their fullest potential. MS cannot afford the creation of an entirely new education system that will only perpetuate the education inequalities in our state. Let us work together for real, positive, sustainable education reform for ALL MS students.
Why is this important?
ALSO: Please "like" our facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mississippi-United-Against-Charter-Schools/363104560450155
Mississippi is facing an all-out assault on our already failing public education system. The highest elected officials in the state (Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, etc.) are planning to unleash misguided Charter School legislation after a failed attempt in last year's legislative session. Mississippi's public school system needs significant reform to provide quality education for ALL students, yet Charter Schools are the wrong course and will only further harm our already floundering public education system. Charter Schools and other "school choice"/voucher strategies to "reform" our public education system are seriously flawed and misguided attempts that will only bring greater inequalities to our public education system and not benefit ALL Mississippi students who deserve high quality, free education regardless of status.
We are calling on the Mississippi Legislature, Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House to refuse to propose and implement any Charter Schools and other "school choice"/voucher legislation and focus on fixing our already existing public education system -- we do not need an entirely separate and unequal education system where privatization will siphon much needed funds to benefit corporate cronies and not the students it is supposedly intended to benefit. Charter Schools are not the answer to MS's education problems, forcing the vast majority to languish without any real education reform to help them achieve their fullest potential. MS cannot afford the creation of an entirely new education system that will only perpetuate the education inequalities in our state. Let us work together for real, positive, sustainable education reform for ALL MS students.
Here are just a few of the reasons why Charter Schools are BAD and NOT NEEDED for Mississippi:
- diversion of very limited funds
- diversion of time, energy, resources
- creation of a new, unnecessary, separate school system
- selects (cherry picks) the best students, those most likely to succeed at the expense of their fellow classmates
- funds historically racist and segregationist academies
- funds religiously based schools
- great lack of accountability and oversight
- for-profit companies' exploitation
- faculty, staff, and administration job insecurity
- exploitation and violation of employees
- potential abuse of students' rights (eg. SPED protections)
- does nothing to solve our education crisis beyond creating a new, separate system
- exacerbates existing education crisis
- potentially poor, narrow curriculum
- poor hiring standards (eg. Not required to have state/national teacher certifications)
- No Unions as barriers to reform
- harm communities as a whole - taking "good" students out of the community
- encourages and facilitates the re-segregation of our public schools
- poor track record of improving student performance: 83% of CS's either produce NO improvement or WORSE performance in their students
Background article on the Myth of Charter Schools:
"There is a clash of ideas occurring in education right now between those who believe that public education is not only a fundamental right but a vital public service, akin to the public provision of police, fire protection, parks, and public libraries, and those who believe that the private sector is always superior to the public sector. Waiting for “Superman” is a powerful weapon on behalf of those championing the “free market” and privatization. It raises important questions, but all of the answers it offers require a transfer of public funds to the private sector. The stock market crash of 2008 should suffice to remind us that the managers of the private sector do not have a monopoly on success.
Public education is one of the cornerstones of American democracy. The public schools must accept everyone who appears at their doors, no matter their race, language, economic status, or disability. Like the huddled masses who arrived from Europe in years gone by, immigrants from across the world today turn to the public schools to learn what they need to know to become part of this society. The schools should be far better than they are now, but privatizing them is no solution."
- From the Myth of Charter Schools
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/?pagination=false
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mississippi-United-Against-Charter-Schools/363104560450155
Mississippi is facing an all-out assault on our already failing public education system. The highest elected officials in the state (Governor, Lt. Governor, Speaker of the House, etc.) are planning to unleash misguided Charter School legislation after a failed attempt in last year's legislative session. Mississippi's public school system needs significant reform to provide quality education for ALL students, yet Charter Schools are the wrong course and will only further harm our already floundering public education system. Charter Schools and other "school choice"/voucher strategies to "reform" our public education system are seriously flawed and misguided attempts that will only bring greater inequalities to our public education system and not benefit ALL Mississippi students who deserve high quality, free education regardless of status.
We are calling on the Mississippi Legislature, Governor, Lt. Governor, and Speaker of the House to refuse to propose and implement any Charter Schools and other "school choice"/voucher legislation and focus on fixing our already existing public education system -- we do not need an entirely separate and unequal education system where privatization will siphon much needed funds to benefit corporate cronies and not the students it is supposedly intended to benefit. Charter Schools are not the answer to MS's education problems, forcing the vast majority to languish without any real education reform to help them achieve their fullest potential. MS cannot afford the creation of an entirely new education system that will only perpetuate the education inequalities in our state. Let us work together for real, positive, sustainable education reform for ALL MS students.
Here are just a few of the reasons why Charter Schools are BAD and NOT NEEDED for Mississippi:
- diversion of very limited funds
- diversion of time, energy, resources
- creation of a new, unnecessary, separate school system
- selects (cherry picks) the best students, those most likely to succeed at the expense of their fellow classmates
- funds historically racist and segregationist academies
- funds religiously based schools
- great lack of accountability and oversight
- for-profit companies' exploitation
- faculty, staff, and administration job insecurity
- exploitation and violation of employees
- potential abuse of students' rights (eg. SPED protections)
- does nothing to solve our education crisis beyond creating a new, separate system
- exacerbates existing education crisis
- potentially poor, narrow curriculum
- poor hiring standards (eg. Not required to have state/national teacher certifications)
- No Unions as barriers to reform
- harm communities as a whole - taking "good" students out of the community
- encourages and facilitates the re-segregation of our public schools
- poor track record of improving student performance: 83% of CS's either produce NO improvement or WORSE performance in their students
Background article on the Myth of Charter Schools:
"There is a clash of ideas occurring in education right now between those who believe that public education is not only a fundamental right but a vital public service, akin to the public provision of police, fire protection, parks, and public libraries, and those who believe that the private sector is always superior to the public sector. Waiting for “Superman” is a powerful weapon on behalf of those championing the “free market” and privatization. It raises important questions, but all of the answers it offers require a transfer of public funds to the private sector. The stock market crash of 2008 should suffice to remind us that the managers of the private sector do not have a monopoly on success.
Public education is one of the cornerstones of American democracy. The public schools must accept everyone who appears at their doors, no matter their race, language, economic status, or disability. Like the huddled masses who arrived from Europe in years gone by, immigrants from across the world today turn to the public schools to learn what they need to know to become part of this society. The schools should be far better than they are now, but privatizing them is no solution."
- From the Myth of Charter Schools
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/?pagination=false