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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

A tale of two Charter school town hall meetings

David Dieter/Huntsville Times
State Rep. Laura Hall listens to residents during tonight's town hall meeting
.

Compare WHNT News 19 coverage of Madison County Community Discusses Charter Schools With Legislators to al.com's coverage of Alabama State Representative Laura Hall's town meeting

Lead paragraph at WHNT TV
HUNTSVILLE, AL— State lawmakers plan to talk about charter schools during the next legislative session. Madison County parents learned Monday night what that could mean for their children. They were part of a town hall meeting to talk about the specialty schools.

Organizers wanted those at the meeting to know charter schools provide flexibility and accountability. They believe both are needed to help get Alabama's education system out of 49th place nationwide.


Lead paragraph at al.com
HUNTSVILLE, Al. - Some people at state Rep. Laura Hall's town hall meeting tonight implied that charter schools harken back to the day of segregated schools, while some others said people should keep an open mind to anything that could help children get a better education.
The issue of charter schools was the main topic for more than 40 people who attended the 90-minute meeting hosted by Hall, a Huntsville Democrat, at the Richard Showers Recreation Center.


Quote at WHNT TV
Rep. Williams is sponsoring a bill to bring the independently-operated public schools into the state of Alabama. He believes parents and students will benefit.

"It gives them options they do not currently have. Charter schools can come into a neighborhood and focus on specialty education. You still have your core, but you might do science and engineering, art and dance, or debate and political science," said Williams.


Quote at al.com
Hall covered several topics in front of the Legislature during her opening remarks. She said a bill to allow charter schools in the state never got out of committee, but similar bills have been introduced again.
She said her constituents have sent the message that they don't want charter schools but do want excellence in public schools.
Huntsville Councilman Richard Showers, a retired city school teacher, said during the question and answer period that he supports public schools. He said charter schools take precious education tax dollars from public schools and create segregated schools.
"We don't need any schools just for black children and we don't need any schools just for white children," Showers said.


al.com got a quote from the HCS board President
Laurie McCaulley, a city school board member, said the school board is OK with charter schools if they are under the local school board's control and if public schools had the same "wide parameters" as charter schools in establishing rules and standards.


Huh? The school board is OK with charter schools if they are under the local school board's control? What "wide parameter" is she talking about?
This?
Politicians who would just love to have their family and friends hired in those Charter Schools, regardless of their qualifications, and if their family and friends aren;t hired by those Charter Schools, those Politicians can cut their Funding from the Alabama Treasury?
This?
Republican Candidate for Governor, Bradley Byrne, claims he sent some people to prison for their CORRUPTION in the Educational System of Alabama. How much worse would it be with the Politicians given a vehicle to have those Charter Schools Employ their family and friends?
This?
The larger question is who is willing to pay the Big Bucks to get Charter Schools in Alabama, but those Corporations who would benefit from being able to have their Corporate Agenda taught in those Charter Schools?
Or this?
definition of the term " charter school":
privately run, publicly financed school: a publicly financed school run by parents, educators, and companies
.

Remember this mantra, "Charter Schools are backdoor privatization of education".
9.13, 4.82, Just left of Gandhi.
by: archangelsk

THE WHNT TV report was slanted in support of Charter Schools IMHO.

I report.
You decide.

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