Before I start, I want to say that I have not seen "Waiting for Superman," the movie about four charter schools in NYC. All I need to know is that these four schools choose students via a lottery. I work in a traditional public school that accepts children the old-fashioned way: you live in our district, here's some paperwork to complete, and now we'll enroll your child. I shall not talk about the movie whatsoever. Instead, I want to talk about dinner last night.
A former student (and Student Council vice-president)became an elementary school teacher. She ended up teaching at an international school in Poland for a few years. She came back this summer to make sure her Michigan teaching certificate was up-to-date and to start on a Masters' degree. She's a bright, engaging young woman who is, I'm sure, a wonderful teacher. I had dinner with her last night at Roma Cafe at Eastern Market. It didn't change my life, but I liked my meal and the wine, so I suggest it. Anyway, she told me the following story.
When she returned to Michigan, the only teaching position she was able to find was at a charter school in a lower income suburb. But, because the school didn't have enough students, it shut down shortly after school started. She was left scrambling. Luckily, she landed on her feet, unfortunately, it was at another charter school. This school is in Detroit, very close to Sharia-run Dearborn (if that lady in Nevada wins, I might just bang my head against the wall for several days). The school has the word "international" in its name, but don't let that fool you into thinking it offers several different languages. It doesn't - it offers only Arabic and only Arabic students attend the school. In my neck of the woods, charter schools are ipso facto re-segregating schools, beyond what economic class already does.
Because many of her students are new or relatively new to the country, one might think that the school would offer English Language Learning support to students. Not in her third grade class of 35 students. She has one little boy who speaks no English, and neither does his mother. The aide who works in the classroom has been told specifically to not work one-on-one with this boy. So he sits, and does nothing, because slowing down is not allowed in the classroom.
You see, my former student teaches from a script. She is not allowed to vary from the script. Students have a copy of the script and are only allowed to highlight items on the script. She is observed at least three times a day, and if she is not a script, she will be written up. For example, if at 10:30, she has not stopped her English lesson to start her math lesson, she will be written up. Then administration can have a file on her, making it easy for them to fire her, never give her a raise, and bring in a newer cheaper teacher. My former student is not protected by a union contract. She hates her job.
She is not the only charter school teacher to tell me things like this. Yes, I know that I have complained bitterly about my school district. Here's the difference, my district is overseen by a democratically elected school board. Everything is open for public scrutiny. The charter school is overseen by a private management company who answers to, theoretically, to Oakland University. The university must not be paying attention, because how in good conscience they allow this to happen. Unless of course, the private management company is kicking back a huge donation to the school. But, as X said, "I must not think bad thoughts."
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