There's another side to the pulling of the charter, though. One that I do not agree with at all. That is timing. Choosing to pull a school's charter so close to the beginning of a school year is wrong. By the time the final decision is made, it will be August 7th. That leaves parents and students scrambling just weeks before classes are supposed to start.
Where are the kids going to go? Will I see my friends again? Will the next school be any better? What is the transportation situation going to be?
All are questions parents and students would have to face if a school were to close. None are questions a student should have to face this close to the beginning of a new school year. It's too much stress to add at the most inopportune time to do so.
Still, there's a side to this story that seems to have been forgotten since the original announcement. When people are talking about The Project School today, they are focusing on the schools poor academic performance. They are talking about anger from parents. Just see Erika Smith's recent column in the Star.
Don't let it slip your mind that there are indications of egregious misuse of money and incredible amounts of growing debt.
I'm not saying that it makes the timing of Ballard's move any better. I'm just saying it's a big part of a puzzle that has quickly become overlooked.
Another problem is there is a process by which a charter school is to be closed. The charter school gets notified and has a chance to present evidence and have a public hearing. Instead the Ballard administration said here's your notification and the decision is finaly...we're not going to change our minds. That's not how the process is designed.
ReplyDelete