Turning the education of our children over to for-profit corporations is about the dumbest plan the "Privatize Everything" people have come up with yet. And we pay the corporations with our tax dollars? What a simply horrible idea!

I will admit on the face of it doesnt seem like a good idea but on the other hand if a charter school can do the job at or below the usual cost of a regular public school then imo it should be given a chance to try provided its held to atleast the same standards used a regular school.

Handing public education over to big business types invites every kind of abuse imaginable. Let alone the inflated salaries paid corporate charter school system CEOs (one in Philadelphia makes seven figures) the potential for bribing public officials in charge of judging performance of those same schools is far too high. Our public school system may be flawed, but turning it over to a crowd of corrupt greedheads is not an answer.

They build the make the materials the schools are built from and they build the schools, they produce the books students use as well as all the supplies used in the schools.
As for the bribe aspect, I suppose its a risk but there is an equal risk with someone running a public school selling the school supplies and or taking a kickback in order to influence where the school buys its supplies from.

Building the school or selling it supplies is one thing, being in charge of our children's education is quite another. This is one area which should never be privatized.

I am already being proven right by what is happening not only in Chicago and Philadelphia but in other cities as well.

Charter Schools have a large advantage over expenses because:
No school buses, very expensive for a school just look at your local school district bus barn
No athletics
No shop classes
No bands
No special education programs
No disruptive students allowed

They cherry pick their students and kick out the trouble or slow learners to the curb. By law public schools have to accept and provide services for all.

Let's just compare charter school kids to gifted and talented public kids and see the results.
All three of my kids are in public schools and proud of it. Two are in track and two are taking computer repair classes, both of which are not offered in charter schools. And they get to socialize with all types of students, not just some nerdy kids that the charters want to cherry pick.

"No school buses, very expensive for a school just look at your local school district bus barn"
Does that apply for all charter schools? If yes then of course it needs to be addressed.

"No athletics"
I have read time and time again how schools screw over more valuable programs for the athletics program over the years so doing away with the athletics program doesnt faze me in the least same for shop and bands.

"No special education programs"
That might need to be addressed, same for the disruptive students depending on exactly how and why they are being disruptive.
If its something the school cant address then the state should consider stepping in and setting up a program for those students.

... don't knock nerdy kids! My daughter is nerdy public school kid and damn proud of it! Long live nerds!

I wouldn't believe it, but I heard it with my own ears; a charter school is running advertising on a Dallas radio station. I have heard the ad at least 3 times. The tax payers' money is paying for the ad, unbelievable.

parents want choices. cps is a huge old battle ship that cannot change course.

but that choice-those 30 charters, plus more choice within the system is keeping more kids in public schools and fewer exposed to pedophiles and fairy stories. hope the last one closes soon.