Charter Schools, The Real Race Dialoque

Charter Schools, The Real Race Dialogue

On June 1, 2016 there was an organizational first meeting for the Worcester Chapter of Save Our Public Schools (SOS). There was a coalition of people who came together because of their concerns for Worcester Public Schools.

Although not immediately obvious, the SOS organization was set up to defeat the Ballot Initiative of raising the cap on Charter Schools in the State. There will be door to door canvassing this Saturday, June 4, 2016.Dante Comparetto is the organizer for the group and its efforts.

Dante Compsretto

The organization Jobs with Justice and the Education Association of Worcester are also supporting the defeat of the raising of the charter school cap.  Members of the Msss. Human Rights, Progressive Labor Party, and Socialist Alternative also attended the meeting.

One of the officials from the EAW pointed out that this meeting of the SOS was a one issue meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to defeat the increase in Charter Schools. She did not feel that the discussion of race or the racist school to jail pipeline was appropriate.

Her comments were in response to the back and forth between several Black and Hispanic people and some people who called themselves teachers. Michael Jerry a local activist who host the Voice of the Voiceless radio show felt that the Public Schools were failing Black, Hispanic, and other poor students. Others in the audience mentioned the so called school to jail pipeline.

Ruth Rodriguez pointed out what she considered the racist draining of money from the public schools which caused the State to put into receivership three mostly Hispanic school districts, Lawrence, Holyoke, and Southbridge.

Michael Lyons who said he was a teacher for 12 years in Worcester denied that there was a racism problem. He said that all the students were treated the same. Many in the audience disagreed and a shouting match ensued.

Another person who claimed to be a teacher said that the real issue was that the disciplinary measures taken against students were not harsh enough. He blamed parents. Again like with Mr. Lyons, this man was shouted down.

It became clear the organizers and sponsor did not want to lose the teachers who seemed to be, at least in the eyes of the Black and Latino people in the room, anti-students and racist.

Councillor Khrystian King supports the cap on charter schools.

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Councillor King

Brian Allen, Chief Financial Officer of the Worcester Public School, gave an all to short talk, but very informative talk. He described ballot initiative and the funding of Public Schools in Bill 2220. He said that Worcester Public School will be underfunded by 60 million dollars, compared to the recommendations determined by the Foundation Budget Review Commission.  About 30 million dollars of the shortfall is for special needs students.

A parent from the audience pointed out that when she wanted her special needs daughter to go a charter school, the charter refused to accept her. The parent said that the treatment of her daughter was discrimination.

A gentleman pointed out that Charter Schools in Massachusetts has its origins in the 1974 desegregation of Boston Schools. Because of desegregation many White parents in Boston set up private schools. Kevin Bulger, brother of Whitey Bulger, pulled some legislative trickery to allow charter schools in Boston and Worcester. This was done in the middle of the night and no one from Worcester knew about the maneuver.

I am in favor of the cap on charter schools, because those schools are separate and unequal. They have not shown that academically they are better that Worcester Public Schools. The charter schools have certainly drained significant resources from the Worcester Public Schools District at a time its so called minority population of students is increasing.