Although I don't have all the data in the world at my fingertips, I do know
that atleast one child out of the 19 in my daughter's first grade last year
at Ramsey was held back.
As a parent I don't know exactly precisely what the concrete benefits of a
small school are (besides being able to be closed down conveniently)
separate from small classrooms. There is the community feel, the "knowing
everyone" thing, but I mean in terms of the academic experience. Charter
schools have a lot going for them, including that they are chosen by
parents who took the time to find out about them in the first place. But
there are a number of resource difficulties that come up as you go below
various plateau's in school size. Also charter schools have one distinct
cost that regular schools don't (in general) - leasing their space. And so
on - I think it's just like anything else - there are a number of groups of
kids who are best served by charter schools, and I'm really glad our
greater community includes a huge number of them (and 20 more or so new
each year, lately). But for many of us the huge behemoths are just fine,
thank you: with their diverse range of people and programs and learning
opportunities.
The school system prohibits discrimination, and the boy scouts have
mandated discrimination. They are responding by tolerating but not
promoting that organization, in the hopes of putting pressure on them
(along with many other school systems and other groups across the country)
so that the boy scouts will cease this amazingly hurtful policy and become
open again to all who would benefit from them.
And as far as the making change comment, I remember working at McDonalds
while I was in High School - I'm sure I didn't always make the best
argument for my school either, due to exhaustion, preoccupation, annoyance,
boredom. Now the schools have to not only respond to populations affected
by every societal ill but also guarantee the performance of its
participants in every facet of their lives 24/7? Geesh! No but really,
generalizations are hard to respond to effectively.
Claire Stokes
Hiawatha
>(imagine if you try shutiing down a
>1000 student behemoth that allows failing students to
>pass..).
>jon kelland
>bryant
