Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/61011
Charter Schools: let's get the facts straight Attacks on DSEA: Setting the record straight No wonder the public continues to think we are against charter schools. sent to Newark Charter School ("NCS") families. They asked if what it said about DSEA was true. We told them that it was not. S Here is what DSEA learned about the e-mail It was sent by a proponent of NCS shortly before the March 7th Charter School Accountability Committee Hearing on the NCS modification request. Entitled "DSEA is behind the attacks," the e-mail purports to con- firm that DSEA had used a robo- call to encourage people to show up at the Accountability Committee everal state legislators recent- ly contacted DSEA to inquire about an e-mail that had been hearing and oppose NCS's plan to build a high school. In reality, DSEA has not sent a robo-call to its members or anyone else since December, 2011 when it called Appoquinimink EA members regarding a town hall concerning DPAS II Component 5. The e-mail continued to assert that DSEA is the biggest opponent of charter school because charter teachers are not DSEA members and do not pay dues. The e-mail concluded by stating that it is a shame that a special interest group like DSEA uses such tactics to harm a school that does such good things for children. As previously noted, DSEA did not send a robo-call. Nor did the Christina Educ. Assoc. Further, when addressing the Charter School Accountability Committee, DSEA President Frederika Jenner noted DSEA's sup- port for public school choice includes charter schools. She fur- ther commented on DSEA's efforts to change Delaware's Charter School law to allow both the State Board of Education and local school board authorizers to exer- cise judgment in determining whether a proposed charter school is in the best interests of all district students, the local community, and the school district in whose geo- graphic boundaries the charter school applies to operate. Hardly the things said by the biggest oppo- nent of charter schools. DSEA only wishes the author of the e-mail would have heeded the words of Newark Charter School Director Greg Meece, who at the beginning of the Accountability Committee hearing meeting urged everyone to refrain from inciting the differences between groups or speaking against any particular group, and to act in a civil, polite, and adult manner. Advice still not heeded Recently, DSEA learned of a let- ter sent by Mr. Meece to NCS par- ents in which he defended NCS against community criticism, and specifically took the ACLU to task for not sharing a letter it had sent to Governor Markell and Secretary of Education Lowery. Meece stated that "Nobody from the ACLU or DDOE contacted me about this let- ter. If one of our parents hadn't seen it on a blog, I would never have known about it. Personally, I feel that if someone wants to accuse you of something, they should at least contact you first to make sure their facts are correct and to see if the concern can be addressed." Well said. Again, we find it unfortunate that a proponent of NCS did not heed the words of Mr. Meece. DSEA supports public school choice " DSEA supports the role of charter schools in Delaware's overall public policy related to public education and parental choice. This has been DSEA's position from the start – since 1995 when Delaware's Charter School Law first passed. "As the state's experi- ence with charter schools has developed over the ensuing years, DSEA has steadfastly maintained that charter schools must serve as a complement to, not a substitute for, our community public schools – much like our magnet schools and vocational- technical schools." In the last several years, I believe that DSEA has pro- posed constructive, com- mon sense public policy ideas intended to improve the state's current charter school law. In fact, some of our suggestions regard- ing transparency and accountability of charter schools were enacted in statute last year. Additionally, we have argued that criteria for the approval of charter school applications must take into consideration the potential impact on existing public schools and their districts. This includes proposed new charter schools, as well as major modifications of existing charter schools. We have sought to require that authorizers consider whether the terms of the proposed charter are economically, operationally, and programmatically sound for the charter school, as well as for the three public school districts from which the charter school expects to recruit the greatest numbers of stu- dents. To make this deter- www.dsea.org mination, we believe that authorizers must consider the potential effects of the charter school on both the enrollment and financial condition of the school dis- tricts and the extent to which the programs and services provided by the charter school are already offered by the public schools in those dis- tricts. - Frederika Jenner, president, DSEA, at Charter School Accountability Committee Hearing March 7, 2012 " Go to www.dsea.org to read the entire testimony. March/April 2012 DSEA ACTION! 9