How Much Freedom do Charter Schools Deserve? A Question of Indoctrination and Public Funding

Lisa Snell and Ralph E. Shaffer
"How Much Freedom do Charter Schools Deserve" (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinionla/la-oew-snell-shaffer10-2009jun10,0,1430469.story)
Los Angeles Times
June 10, 2009

Summary:This article is written in a point-counter point debate style, so I will divide my review into its respective sections:

Lisa Snell:
Snell argues that the concept behind charter schools is not based on any particular ideology. In fact, she points out, the focus of some charter schools is to avoid ideology altogether and to focus solely on academics. Instead, the point of charter schools, and their strength, is that they provide options to parents. Charter schools provide choices. She is also quick to point out that (in Oakland) charter school students are outperforming students in traditional schools in standardized testing.

Ralph E. Shaffer:
Shaffer is quick to point out the exceptions in the world of charter schools--schools that do in fact require students to adhere to specific doctrinal beliefs. While his writing style initially turned me off, he does close his argument with an intriguing thought: is public funding of schools that espouse specific ideologies unconstitutional?

Intended audience: Parents, General Public

Key Points: 1) Charter schools offer an important and enriching alternative to traditional schools; 2) Charter schools should be limited in their ability to procure public funding if they blatantly espouse particular social or economic ideologies.

Relevance: This was really a fascinating debate. I started on one end of the argument, shifted to the other, and settled somewhere in the middle. It is easy to forget the power that curriculum has over controlling the experience of education; what students learn can drastically alter the rest of their lives. It is also easy to forget that freedom of speech can sometimes be used as a hedge against authority while putting forth radical or even dangerous ideals. The article does a wonderful job of complicating the questions of control, structure, and the purpose of schools. It is particularly relevant to last nights class on the philosophy of teaching. Why do teachers teach what they teach how they teach it?