NEW YORK, NY (April 22, 2010) — I believe the children of NY15 need all the resources we can muster to ensure a solid education that prepares them for a meaningful future. That means improving public education as well as supporting charter schools, private and parochial institutions.
The majority of students in NY15 attend public schools. With the largest public school system in the world, more than 1.1 million New York students are taught in more than 1,500 public schools.
In attending these schools, they have an absolute right to the best quality teachers, materials and basic education. That means we need more investment in public schools. We need to invest in raising the standards of public education, employing and rewarding good teachers and providing adequate learning materials and experiences. We need to build new schools to meet the growing demand in some of the most overcrowded schools in districts like 3 and 5. Most of all, we need to change the perception that a public education is an inadequate education by making good education a reality in our public schools.
On the other side of the coin, parents should never be denied the right to choose which educational experience is most appropriate for their children. And, charter schools are, in my opinion, a good option.
With 21% of the children in NY15 attending charters, it has become increasingly obvious that they are making a positive impact. Charters boast a dramatically higher success rate on performance tests required by the State of New York. They have become so popular that there are waiting lists and lotteries to fill the seats.
Bashing charters with name calling and finger-pointing — which some people have been doing — misses the point. Charters provide a much needed boost to the educational needs of the children in our district. The notion that these schools are hurting our community or stealing resources is preposterous and misguided. Best practices should be shared and utilized by all. As such, the techniques and curriculum being implemented at charters should serve as a model for other schools.
Charters are not, and never were intended to be, a replacement for our city’s public schools. In recognizing that there is an undisputed performance gap between charters and public schools, our focus should be on providing our kids with more options not less. Let’s make the public school system a more compelling choice for our kids. And, let’s keep charter schools and parochial schools solvent.
For the record, I need to state that, in my lifetime, I have attended alternative independent schools, parochial schools and public schools. Further, I have two small children on whose behalf I will soon have to choose an educational option. I would love for my children to attend a quality public school. But until that becomes a reality, I want to know that I have a choice because what I decide will have a profound impact on their future ability to earn a decent income and enjoy a meaningful life. I would ask nothing less for all parents in NY15.
http://morgan4congress.com/wp-content/uploads/Education-Options-4-22-101.pdf
