Public Schools vs. Charter Schools

This week we discussed the role of charter schools in public education. We studied the benefits of charter schools and the arguments against them. It was a very informative presentation which aided in my understanding of charter schools, their role in public education, and the opposition to charter schools that many public teachers share. I’m fortunate enough to have in-laws that are currently teachers at a local middle school and took the opportunity after a family  dinner to  ask them their opinion on the subject.

Overall, their stance on charter schools was mostly negative. They stated that for many years, public schools have acted as a meeting place for community activities. The role of public schools has not only been a place where children go to learn but serves as a  mechanism to bring the community together. It’s where sporting events are played, local political discussions are held, along with book fairs and carnivals. They are the heart of many communities. They also noted that  charter schools have threatened the the important role of public schools because they serve as magnets that draw children away from their community school. Parents that put their students into charter schools are those who are more involved in the education of their child which leaves those who are less fortunate  in public schools. The term “brain drain” is  commonly used for this event, meaning children who have more parental support, or who are smarter, are the ones  leaving public schools to attend charter schools. As a result, the heart of the community is no longer the local public school because children are attending  schools in different areas.

Although I find their argument well supported, I can’t help but see the absolute benefit that charter schools have on the overall development and progress of the  education system. Charter schools are competitors of public schools but when competition is put into the mix, a better product is created; in this case the product is quality education. The ability of parents to have choices in the education sector forces both charter schools and public schools to change the design of their product to produce a more competitive, efficient, and effective form of education. Over the years, schools have needed more  funds to try and increase the quality of their schools but it seems to never help. Charter schools offer a way to experiment with different ideas of education which can’t always be experimented in public schools. Charter schools get the freedom to explore radical and modern concepts in education that someday may be adopted by public schools. Public schools are threatened by charter school because it’s taking away from the quality of their school. Instead,  what public schools need to do is  focus on how they can make their own school better instead of putting so much effort into opposing charter schools. They need to study the successes of charter schools and adopt some of those ideas. For example, merit-based pay. The the strong teachers union opposes this but I believe parents would feel more comfortable leaving their children in public schools knowing that  teachers are getting paid strictly based on the quality of their work. Public schools should view the competition of charter schools as an opportunity make their school just as attractive as charter schools instead of trying to oppose them. Competition in any market forces both parties to produce a better quality product, which benefits everyone in the end.