The front being created that Montana is “behind the times” as far as “school choice” is a myth. We have many choices in our state: public education at a school of choice, private academies (Montessori for example), church affiliated schools, online classes and home school programs. Students are blessed with many choices in Montana. Just look in the phone book.
Unfortunately, Montana’s education system is being targeted to be taken over by several conservative groups trying to tell us we need more choices. The reality is that the conservative wealthy “movers and shakers” have infiltrated our state to obtain our hard working taxpayer money to run their own educational system. They want to get their hands on the state’s public monies while attacking the educational system that has benefited Montana for years.
I applaud the past bipartisan effort by legislators who have been smart enough to realize that our public school system in Montana is not broken and does not need to be fixed. Public funds need to stay with public education.
Out-of-state groups are advocating chapter schools. Look at the facts: Colorado, for instance, finds only 17 percent of charter schools are successful. That is a waste of money and look at who suffers. The students. It takes more than the taxpayers’ money for charter school to be successful, so parents are faced with additional fees. There is a lack of standardization, including teacher qualifications. Collective bargaining is a no longer honored, wages and benefits slip in a hole creating a new class of poverty. Teachers become puppets for those who are controlling the purse strings. Often the students are lost in the goals of the administration. It’s the test scores that are the most important piece.
Again, look at the facts. In Oregon, a charter school no longer welcomes the neighborhood children because enrollment is based on a lottery system. This is actually happening in America! The “school choice” movement has to be stopped. Public schools are for each and every child. The truth is the “school choice” movement selects their students. They have to qualify to enroll. If you look at the state that are having financial problems with their educational systems, you’ll find the increased choices have been promised to make a difference, but instead have drained public funds from public education. The entire fabric of the state suffers.
Nancy Van Natta
Kalispell