The Virginian-Pilot
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The governor's office brought out the big guns to speak in favor of the charter school bill Thursday.
Among the supporters were the secretary of education, the state superintendent, a Georgia legislator and Sandra Smith-Jones, a member of the Virginia Beach School Board.
The bill is part of Gov. Bob McDonnell's education package. It aims to make it easier for charter schools to open in Virginia, but it allows local school boards to reject charter applications.
The bill has been criticized by the Legislative Black Caucus and the Richmond-area NAACP. Some legislators are concerned that charters would take money away from public schools.
The charter bill, along with proposals to expand virtual and university lab schools, will probably be voted on next week.
Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, and a member of the caucus, said the package of bills probably will pass the heavily Democratic committee because many senators don't believe that it will be a significant change.
"It's going to pass, but not with my vote," Lucas said. "This is a threshold issue for me this session."
Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, said she's concerned that the bills would open the door to weakening the state's public education system.
"Some folks think it doesn't do anything," Locke said. "It does a lot."
The bills have the support of several education groups.
"This is a move in the right direction," said Jim Dyke, former Gov. Douglas Wilder's education secretary. Dyke, who recalled having to ride a Greyhound bus to get to his school bus stop during segregation, said this proposed legislation provides children and parents with more educational options.
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What was smith jones doing there?
Since Sandra Smith-Jones is a VB school board member (who wask kicked out by her fellow members as vice chairperson if I remember right) and VB has no charter schools, nor has she suggested they start one something doesn't smell right. I doubt she was representing an official VB position. If you check on the internet you can see she was a paid consultant to the McDonnel campaign. Sounds to me like she is looking for a big job in Richmond--at the expense of our kids.
Allies?
You mean there's more than one?
As for competition, I don't see how funding one while cutting funding for the other makes for competition. Seems sorta one-sided to me.
Funding
UVA, ODU, NSU, Mason, etc. all get state funding.
When a new college starts, like when ODU split from Willian and Mary, they got funding that would have gone to W & M. Yes, W & M lost some of the funding they might have got if ODU didn't exist, but overall the increase competition between the colleges inproves it for all.
Good for children
At last our bloated, liberal, and wasteful public school system will get some competition. Our children deserve better than what they get now. Competition makes you better, whether in sports, business and education. Competition is why the United States has people from all over the world coming here to study in our colleges. The best medical, business, engineering and high tech teaching is found in United States colleges. Competition makes colleges better, so why not public schools?
Why
Are we giving tax dollars to private schools--isn't this just a back door ploy to have taxpayers subsidize private and religious school educations. This is wrong and the Governor knows it!
Taxpayers giving money to private schools.
I am a taxpayer and trust me when I say it is about time my tax dollars went to pay for private schools. My children have attended all their lives and the last one will graduate in June. No one time of my tax dollars or yours for that matter have gone to help me pay for thier education. When my daughter graduated in 2007 (having attended the school since k-5)It was announced that myself and several other parents out of the 100 graduating had paid 59,000 dollars not counting the extras for our child to graduate. When my son Granduates this year I will have paid 70,000 plus extras for his education. Again not a dime of taxpayers money helped me do so. Why because they are safe. No guns, drugs, knives, or gangs, and they didn't have to worry about being beat up for looking at someone wrong. Oh, and did I say the main reason is because I work in public education and wouldn't wish the everyday trails on any student. So yes I welcome my tax dollars to go and help some other family insure that their child has the means to be safe and in a learning place that would allow them the ability to learn and not be scared to death. Oh, and did I say my husband and I did it all on an inco
Smith-Jones Represents?
I have to ask who Smith-Jones was representing in Richmond? Did the VB School board vote for her to represent them? Did she represent herself or the parents and voters of VB? How about the VB school system? I'd like to know the answers so I guess I'll have to call her and ask...
I voted for her but I'll not make that mistake again.
Very Interesting....
I agree....maybe she's looking for a job with McD's administration. Maybe she wants to open her own charter school. Wonder if she knows that teachers at charter schools don't have to be certified? Or that charter schools siphon money from public schools? According to something I read...in some Texas charter schools, teachers will teach kids that range in age from 6 to 13 in one class. Sounds like a one-room classroom. She never has been one to do her homework.
I'm surprised the VEA supported this version of the bill, too. Interesting.
Drains money
From the public school system. I mean..what happens when the schools in Chespeake no longer have the 1500.00 stipends available to get teachers to stand at the bus ramps for 20 min. after school. Funny how the left wants a public option to compete with private ins. but doesnt want more private schools to compete with the failing public system.