Chuck Hughes, Salisbury, N.C.
♦ The biggest argument against charter schools is they “take money out of the school system.” It is true that part of the state provided dollars transfer from the public system to the charter, but not all of it. The newest argument is that “a lot of charter schools fail.” I do not know the stats on this, but I suspect “a lot” is an exaggeration. The bottom line is that when a charter school fails, it closes; when a public school fails, it asks for more money. I support charter schools, but that does not clash with my dedication to our public school system or my responsibility on the Board of Education.
Charters and other private systems create competition. Competition is a powerful motivation for improvement. As our public schools improve, the less attractive charters and other private systems will become. In the end, the best argument against charters must be, “they are not as good as ours.” In the mean time, I cannot think of a better place to plant a new school than East Spencer. Kudos to Mayor Mallett!
