Welcome to Cashing in on Kids, a weekly email newsletter for people fed up with the privatization of America’s public schools—produced by In the Public Interest.
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A movement is growing to counter the false promise of “school choice.” In the Public Interest’s Jeremy Mohler writes, “It’s become apparent in recent months that public schools following the ‘community school’ strategy have been some of the most successful at navigating the ups and downs of the pandemic.”
He continues, “If our mission is to make sure all children receive a great education, then charter schools, private school vouchers, and other forms of privatization fall short.
And if we want to go even further to ensure that public institutions are meeting the needs of the communities they serve, then community schools are a promising education reform that deserves adequate public investment.” The Progressive
Parents say New Orleans charter school “silences voices of dissent.” Tensions are rising at a New Orleans charter school named after a former Louisiana state education superintendent who said he believed in the “supremacy of the Caucasian race.” Nola.com
North Carolina’s charter school enrollment is soaring. North Carolina is experiencing massive growth in homeschooling, private schools, and charter schools, while the state’s traditional, neighborhood public schools saw a 5 percent drop in enrollment, falling by 70,000 students. News & Record
Turmoil in Providence. A recent decision to place a charter school in a traditional, neighborhood public school is a first for Providence, Rhode Island. And it’s causing an uproar. The Providence Journal
How we’re fighting back
Still fighting for their public school. Los Angeles parents, students, teachers, and other community members are protesting after Citizens of the World (COTW) charter schools used the California law known as Prop-39 to take space from Shirley Avenue Elementary School campus. Patch.com
Money for community schools in L.A. budget. The Los Angeles Unified school board recently passed a $13.8 billion operating budget for the new fiscal year, including money for community schools. Los Angeles Daily News
Community school campaign launches in Nashville. In Metro Nashville Public Schools, students speak more than 100 different languages, but many students don’t currently feel represented in their curriculum. To solve this problem, a number of organizations are launching a grassroots campaign for community schools throughout Nashville. Tennessee Lookout
Photo by Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency for EDUimages.