Charter Schools, LAUSD, and Equity?

Diane Ravitch shared the clip below on Leonie Haimson's NYC Education News listserv this evening. You have to watch it. ALL OF IT!

                  

I was particularly moved by the special education teacher and father of a student with special needs. The father mentions the charter school counts students who have speech impediments among those it serves with special needs. I'm not sure how I feel about that when they're trying to take over building space from a public school that almost certainly provides services for many children with significantly more demanding special needs.

Also - flyers telling immigrants that if their students attend charters they'll be deported? Wonderful.

How democratic is this?

Comments

  1. AnonymousApril 25, 2011 at 3:14 PM

    I was at that LAUSD meeting. This is a very edited version. Goethe Charter was not allowed to respond to the allegations that were made by Board Member Zinner. To add fuel to the fire Zinner thew out a blanket statement about how he had heard "SOME" charters Schools hand out flyers to immigrants dissuading them form applying to charters by telling them they will be deported. He was not directly accusing Goethe of this, nor does Goethe do this. It was a very calculated divisive thing to do by a board member who is anti-charter school and pro-teachers union. Had Goethe been able to respond to his allegations, they would have beed easily disputed.

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  2. james boutinApril 25, 2011 at 3:48 PM

    Anon: Thanks for the information. Do you know if the full video of the meeting is available anywhere else? Do you know what charter schools are disseminating such flyers? or if it's happening at all? What's your take on what the parent and teacher had to say?

    It doesn't seem to me that this has all that much to do with teachers unions. Seems to me this has a lot more to do with possibly denying an equitable education for those students whose space is being taken by the charter.

    I appreciate your input. The video is clearly edited and plays into a lot of people's biases (including my own) about the negative aspects of some charter schools. Please provide more information to help us make a more informed judgement if you have it.

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  3. formenuMay 23, 2011 at 1:32 AM

    Hi all!
    i am the one who edited the videoand i did so to show the hipocricy of this charter s it claims it seeks diversity but excluded the most diverse zip code from its proposed service area. The comment from the "one who was at that meeting" is either misinformed or deliberately deceptive. Board member Zimmer never accused Goethe charter for these flyers. it was board member Flores who tried to counter the claim of charter school discrimination by raising an issue which has nothing to do with Goethe but reportedly did happen in LA. Board member Lamotte counter Flores by saying she did not think this has anything to do with Goethe but she too found the exclusion by goethe charter of the poor, mostly minority zip code unacceptable given the make up of Goethe; 90% white.

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  4. AnonymousMay 25, 2011 at 11:46 AM

    Hi Gidgid4u,

    I am neither mislead nor being deliberately deceptive. I am expressing a point of view you do not agree with. Who is the one editing a LAUSD meeting to "show the hypocrisy of this charter." That's not deliberately deceptive? How about showing the whole video and letting people decide for themselves what transpired?

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  5. formenuMay 25, 2011 at 11:07 PM

    Its very simple bud, you claimed that mr Zimmer
    "Zinner thew out a blanket statement about how he had heard "SOME" charters Schools hand out flyers to immigrants dissuading them form applying to charters by telling them they will be deported."
    It is not true just look at the video.
    it was Board member Flores who raised it.

    ReplyDelete
  6. formenuMay 25, 2011 at 11:17 PM

    I am willing to send u the whole video since youtube has a 15 minutes limit but ill send you a dvd only if you give me an address or o po box but i suspect you want to stay anonymous and make accusations and defame an honest and kind public servant it total disregard of the truth and behind the cover of anonymity. Please prove me wrong and Id be willing to meet you in LA at a place of your choice or just send the dvd to you.

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  7. AnonymousJune 17, 2011 at 2:18 AM

    Post the whole video in 2 parts. Let people see the whole video. I don't need a copy. I was there. Let those that were not see the whole thing.

    ReplyDelete
  8. formenuJune 27, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Its in the video that is uploaded already... member Flores says that it is not ethical that immigrants are intimidated ... Zimmer said nothing at all about it... just watch it to refresh your memory if i may be somewhat polite...

    ReplyDelete
  9. formenuJune 27, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    It would also be nice to know that you are not hiding behind anonymity while you make defamatory statements. If you are so inclined you may purchase the DVD from LAUSD TV station and post it yourself. The facts are clear, Goethe refused to include the most diverse zip code in their service area and they have a student body of roughly 90% white kids as opposed to Marina MS who has about 85% minority. Never the less, Goethe made a presentation to the Board of Ed in which all of the presenters stated that diversity is what Goethe is about. Their statements are shameful and as close to the truth as your claim that Mr Zimmer blamed Goethe of sending out intimidating leaflets.

    ReplyDelete

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