The New York State Teacher's Union is against charter schools. Who would have ever believed this? Charter schools are doing considerably more than the traditional public schools with less. Yes. They are kicking out troublemakers and sending them packing. Yes. These same troublemakers end up going to the traditional public schools where they are allowed to continue to cause trouble. How about creating alternative schools and separating these kids from the kids that do know how to behave? You wouldn't believe how disruptive these students are at many of the Buffalo Public Schools. It's a longstanding joke that people are afraid to talk about.
According to the article, 41 out of 192 students returned to public schools from charter schools were for behavioral reasons. The teacher's union complains about this like it's a bad thing. Why should the well behaved kids at the charter schools be forced to have disruptive kids in their classrooms? Guess what? As soon as these troublemaking kids are kicked out, the other students know it's a privilege to be in their school. If the traditional public schools don't like it, then maybe they should start enforcing some kind of discipline at their schools. I guess it's easier to keep giving out free breakfast, lunch, and dinner and telling these disruptive kids how special they are.
Park district school board member Lou Petrucci said earlier this week that administrations at the charter schools did not have to disclose their financial salaries. A month ago, South District Councilman Michael Kearns asked Dr. Williams from the Buffalo Public Schools to disclose the salaries of all his flunkies working over at city hall and Williams refused. How come Petrucci isn't equally concerned about this? Williams obviously has something to hide (excessive no-show jobs ).
NYSUT report lambastes charters : Home: The Buffalo News
NYSUT report lambastes charters : Home: The Buffalo News
How about a charter school that addresses the needs of kids who can't behave? Many parents of kids with behavioral problems are willing to work with a school but are afraid too. Many of this kids have behavioral problems because they have something else going on. It's true. Have a school with specialist for kids who aren't completly screwed up but borderline and the thing is parents have to be involved or the kids get kicked out. Also they need a school that addresses sensory needs, sorry many kids with problems also have sensory needs. I would say with problem kids it's half kids with unregonized special needs and the other half kids with bad parents. Ween out the kids with bad parents so the ones who have good parents have a prayer.
ReplyDeleteBtw a certain charter school in Allentown somehow manages to keep the poor kids out. South Buffalo is a good one and so is Global concepts.
Personally i think we need a walfdorf charter school. Are you familar with the waldorf program? It's a very progressive educational system. All kids, needs, normal, etc can benefit from this style. If you aren't familar look up the waldorf school you will be so impressed. I am in favor of charter schools because it does give the opprotunity to try different successful methods of schooling.
i agree with what you say about some behavior kids having bad parents and others having legitimate problems.
ReplyDeletei work at the s bflo charter school and it is a good school. i didn't expect the kids to be as well behaved as they are. i also student taught at the school you mention and their no busing policy is definitely their way to keep out the poor.
i checked out waldorf charter schools on wikipedia. i love schools with an artistic bent. they sound interesting. it says they were the only schools in s africa where whites and blacks went together under apartheid. also, in israel, jews and arabs went to the same waldorf schools. i'd say that's a pretty good track record.
Someone told me the charter school in Allentown has no children from South Buffalo. I know about 3 parents who tried to get their children in that school from south Buffalo, all of the children ended up on the waiting list. It's a shame that they are elitest, it is a really nice program. They even have brain dance as part of their curriculum, that's very progressive. Brain dance is awesome and it's hard to find outside the west coast.
ReplyDeleteI looked at a few schools for my child who has sensory needs that manifest themselves in behavioral needs, including the allen town one mentioned, global concepts, and South Buffalo charter. I decided on public school because with all the services my child needs i felt it was best. I actually went and spoke with teachers, guidence councilors and even two administrators.
It would be really nice if they had a charter school that had an occupational therapist on staff as well as a whole program dedicated to sensory needs. Buffalo public doesn't have anything like that and I believe the school would qualify for extra funding or at least special grants for addressing this. Interesting to note, colorado has the lowest rate of adhd in the country, they have also been addressing sensory needs as something on it's own for over 30 years now. They realize you start while the child is young and the child can be a very successful student and adult. I mean most importantly these kids do need to be around mainstream kids as well though, the worst thing is to put them in a classroom full of kids just like them, it needs to be intergrated.
I went into looking for a kindergarden knowing exactly what I was looking for. I sort of found one classroom with in the buffalo public schools that fits, but it's not ideal.
And the waldorf program is amazing, we have one around here in Coldren/elma/east aurora (not sure which it's like where they all connect) and it's very expensive but they offer scholarships and financle aide. A friend of mine from South Buffalo actually qualified for it but didn't want their child to go to school that far away. I think they look at the families and not the income there.