Making Educators Scapegoats in the Argument for School Choice
Compare the state report cards of charter and public schools in
the same city, Youngstown for example, and the numbers don’t
lie.  Charter schools, by and large, do not educate students any
more effectively than public schools in the same district.  OEA
research bulletin, October 2009, Dayton Daily News, 8/21/09 and
2008-2009 Ohio Department of Education Report Cards verify that
only 11% of students attending charter schools are in
“excellent” or “effective” schools compared to 77% of public
school students, and only 25% of students attending charter
schools graduate.  Articles like “Why We Must Fire Bad Teachers”
(Newsweek, March 6, 2010) garner support for charter school
advocates. Perhaps President Obama supports charters because the
only programs brought to his attention are the exceptional
successful ones—such as KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program),
highlighted in the Newsweekarticle—that do improve student
achievement, have relatively high gra