Charter Schools vs Public Schools

by Charlotte Savage

“Please hurry Mom; we want to get to school early.” These were the pleas I heard from my two grandsons when visiting their home in the 1990’s.   

My younger grandson attended an elementary charter School and the elder was enrolled in a charter high school.   The schools were half an hour from each other and equal distance from their home. I was extremely proud of their parents for making the commitment to drive their children to schools in the opposite direction from where they worked.  The parents also made the commitment to be active in the committees overseeing these schools.

It was the same for my friend’s granddaughter. The child did poorly in public school but excelled in a charter school.  

Prior to my elder grandson entering a charter high school his parents literally pulled him out of bed each morning and forced him to go to school. However, once enrolled in the charter school, he was awake and ready to leave for school without a wake-up call. His charter high school years were happy ones and made a big difference in his demeanor both in and out of school. 

My younger grandson, enrolled in an elementary charter school, was just as enthusiastic about his classes. Invited to attend my grandson’s recital, I arrived promptly at noon. At first I drove past the building.  It had torn window shades and looked in disrepair.  The interior of the school was even more shocking; it was literally falling apart. This charter school occupied an old elementary school the city deemed beyond refurbishing. Instead the city had built a new elementary school elsewhere. 

 In spite of the condition of this school, I observed happy, smiling, enthusiastic children who appeared to enjoy every moment of the time they spent there.

After visits to these charter schools, I questioned my son about the teaching differences between public school and charter schools. “What makes a charter school so special?” 

My son explained that the rules for public schools are dictated by each state. The schools have to follow a particular curriculum, which is sometimes modified by the local School Committee. While these public schools have advanced placement classes for the very bright student, those children that march to a different drummer are easily left behind-- even though their IQ might be on a similar or higher level than the advanced children in public schools.

I also learned that a charter school focuses on a particular forum such as music, technology, trade skills, etc. Each charter school is very different from the other and if the student is fortunate to find a school that specializes in his/her interests, it becomes a perfect match. 

After observing children of different ages participating in these schools, I saw that charter schools give their instructors free reign to challenge their students to excel in all subjects-- not just the subject that the student has a sincere interest in. It is a far superior method of teaching children. I am bewildered as to why state reps and school committees are not working diligently to change the way they operate the present public school system. We would not be voting on a referendum on charter schools if the school committees were doing their job and hiring principals from charter schools to assist them in revamping our present public school system.    

Unfortunately, it appears that bureaucracy is the culprit.    We probably wouldn’t have a need for charter schools if public schools were more progressive.   It seems the duplication of education is the fault of people who are managing the money of public schools; it is not the fault of the charter schools.  Until the red tape is resolved there is definitely a need for charter schools.  The first charter school to open in the United States was in 1992.  You would think in the twenty-four years that charter schools have been successful that school committees and teacher’s unions would have had their wake up call. It isn’t fancier schools children desire, but innovative teachers who are given the freedom to make learning so much fun.    I will vote for more charter schools in November because I found it amazing that my grandchildren woke their parents up, urging them to leave for school early, so that not one moment of their school day was wasted. 

© 2016 Charlotte Savage all rights reserved