What is the real Choice in the Charter School Debate ?
Discovery School's proponents talk a lot about choice. Here's one choice they made- to locate it here in Chesterton. Despite proclaiming that this will be "Northwest Indiana's School" -full of students from outside communities- it will be established here. Wouldn't Michigan City, with its abundant lakeshore and access to trails be a great site for a nature school? Ogden Dunes has some of the most beautiful surroundings in our area, why not set up the Charter School there? We suggest that the reason to locate it here has much more to do with convenience than convention.A second choice in the Charter initiative was to utilize the Ball State Charter program instead of securing private money for their school. Despite their success establishing a great pre-school in Chesterton, the proponents avoided the true test of viability- whether parents would pay for this schooling option- and called it a Charter school.
The third major choice that the proponents made was to avoid approaching the public school administration with their ideas for the nature curriculum. By choosing to work against the local school system, they guaranteed a result where their children benefit at the cost of the rest of the community. Duneland schools, despite their imperfections, are quite progressive when it comes to launching new initiatives. Perhaps, by working with the administration, this group could have seen many of its goals incorporated into the existing curriculum. We will never know.
The Charter proponents would have you believe that rejecting this initiative is rejecting choice or competetion in the public school system. But Public Education ain't Sunday Brunch . You do not get the precise, customized education that you want for your child. What our schools do need is the proper motivation to make adjustments and improvements to their curriculum and programs, and to make improvements that benefit all of the children in the Duneland System.
Lastly- Why should I care?