Who needs expertise? Anyone can run schools
That's a pretty pervasive mentality.
Last week the Richmond (Calif.) City Council discussed looking into taking 10 Richmond elementary schools away from the West Contra Costa County school district, which includes Richmond, and either having them run by the city or turning them into charter schools. The Contra Costa Times reported on Feb. 21 that the council voted 5-1 with 1 abstention to hire a consultant to study the notion.
The council was under the impression that the school district was planning to close some schools and postpone upgrades to others.
It turned out that wasn't the case — the WCC school board mea-culpa'd the communications gap — so the Richmond council changed its mind, as reported on Feb. 28.
If those city councilmembers think they can just step up and run a school, why not me? That's the mentality behind the charter school concept to begin with. Doesn't the notion that it's perfectly rational to turn complicated operations over to gung-ho amateurs — and shun experience and expertise — strike anyone else as bizarre? Why not do that with the Fire Department? S.F. General Hospital? How about Muni? I can get the 36 Teresita to come every 20 minutes like it's supposed to. Or SFO. I'll get those security lines moving. Hand over the funding.
It was listening to a speech in that vein by then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, some six years ago, that got my charter school skepticism going to begin with. He was about to launch his Oakland School for the Arts and Oakland Military Institute charters, and was all a-gloat about how superior they'd be to schools run by stupid, contemptible old teachers and administrators. (Both schools have struggled. They're still afloat due to Brown's determined promotion and fundraising. And he recently hired an actual veteran educator to rescue floundering Oakland School for the Arts.)
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin was the one vote against the idea of the city's taking over schools. Councilman Jim Rogers abstained with the "no duh" comment of the day: "I don't believe the city of Richmond has established that we have the expertise, the ability to go in and start trying to run schools."
Last week the Richmond (Calif.) City Council discussed looking into taking 10 Richmond elementary schools away from the West Contra Costa County school district, which includes Richmond, and either having them run by the city or turning them into charter schools. The Contra Costa Times reported on Feb. 21 that the council voted 5-1 with 1 abstention to hire a consultant to study the notion.
The council was under the impression that the school district was planning to close some schools and postpone upgrades to others.
It turned out that wasn't the case — the WCC school board mea-culpa'd the communications gap — so the Richmond council changed its mind, as reported on Feb. 28.
If those city councilmembers think they can just step up and run a school, why not me? That's the mentality behind the charter school concept to begin with. Doesn't the notion that it's perfectly rational to turn complicated operations over to gung-ho amateurs — and shun experience and expertise — strike anyone else as bizarre? Why not do that with the Fire Department? S.F. General Hospital? How about Muni? I can get the 36 Teresita to come every 20 minutes like it's supposed to. Or SFO. I'll get those security lines moving. Hand over the funding.
It was listening to a speech in that vein by then-Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown, some six years ago, that got my charter school skepticism going to begin with. He was about to launch his Oakland School for the Arts and Oakland Military Institute charters, and was all a-gloat about how superior they'd be to schools run by stupid, contemptible old teachers and administrators. (Both schools have struggled. They're still afloat due to Brown's determined promotion and fundraising. And he recently hired an actual veteran educator to rescue floundering Oakland School for the Arts.)
Richmond Mayor Gayle McLaughlin was the one vote against the idea of the city's taking over schools. Councilman Jim Rogers abstained with the "no duh" comment of the day: "I don't believe the city of Richmond has established that we have the expertise, the ability to go in and start trying to run schools."
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