In the past few weeks, superintendents from Northampton, Durham, Vance, and Wilson counties sent letters to the Department of Public Instruction objecting to charter school enrollment and grade expansion requests. The letters were distributed during today’s State Board of Education meeting.
Here are a few excerpts:
“Gaston College Preparatory School has drained Northampton County Schools of finances, human resources, and students…I beg do not allow Gaston College Prep the luxury of increasing its enrollment by 150 students.”
“We oppose any charter school expansion in Durham County primarily due to the financial impact.”
“Vance Charter School does not provide transportation therefore, eliminating all of the minority pool.”
“The arts component of the charter school will be a replication of our [Wilson County Schools District’s] academy.”
This opposition to charter schools may be orchestrated by advocacy organizations like the NC Association of School Administrators, which do not fancy charter schools much. Regardless of who is behind the campaign, the “money/teacher/brain drain” myth appears to be alive and well.
