Teachers' union chief stirs controversy by comparing school choice to murder

$January 30, 2015 New Orleans, AL - A student raises his hand during his 5th grade science at KIPP Central City Academy in New Orleans, AL, on Friday, January 30, 2015. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana decided to carry out a bold experiment - seize control of the city's worst schools, place them in a state-run "recovery" district and hand them over to charter operators. Ten years later, Georgia and a handful of other states want to replicate this approach, which has been heralded as a success among ed reformers. But is it really working? Fewer students are failing exams and grad rates up, but critics say it's far from a miracle. They point to tough discipline practices that bounce kids out of schools for minor infractions and fear the long-term implications of an all-charter approach. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM New Orleans, La. - A student raises his hand during his 5th grade science class at KIPP Central City Academy in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana decided to carry out a bold experiment – to seize control of the city's worst schools, place them in a state-run "recovery" district and hand them over to charter operators. Ten years later, Georgia and a handful of other states want to replicate this approach. Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com$

January 30, 2015 New Orleans, AL - A student raises his hand during his 5th grade science at KIPP Central City Academy in New Orleans, AL, on Friday, January 30, 2015. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Louisiana decided to carry out a bold experiment - seize control of the city's worst schools, place them in a state-run "recovery" district and hand them over to charter operators. Ten years later, Georgia and a handful of other states want to replicate this approach, which has been heralded as a success among ed reformers. But is it really working? Fewer students are failing exams and grad rates up, but critics say it's far from a miracle. They point to tough discipline practices that bounce kids out of schools for minor infractions and fear the long-term implications of an all-charter approach. HYOSUB SHIN / HSHIN@AJC.COM New Orleans, La. - A student raises his hand during his 5th grade science class at KIPP Central City Academy in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana decided to carry out a bold experiment – to seize control of the city's worst schools, place them in a state-run "recovery" district and hand them over to charter operators. Ten years later, Georgia and a handful of other states want to replicate this approach. Hyosub Shin, hshin@ajc.com

By Daniel Malloy

Dec 11, 2015

These lines from a story by our AJC colleague Molly Bloom about the explosion of charter schools in Atlanta have caused quite a stir:

"That's like saying Chicago is the most murder friendly-city in the nation," she said.

Charlie Harper, head of Policy BEST, an advocacy group working to promote school choice among other issues, sent along the following retort:

"Murder is more than a concept to a lot of the kids trapped in failing schools. The reason too many are trapped is because some in the education establishment have chosen to prioritize the needs of the bureaucracy over the achievements of their students. Thus, too many are doomed to a cycle of poverty, living in neighborhoods where crime is not only an option but a way of life. The alternative is to provide every choice available to give these kids a chance to escape what many have written off as their destiny. This could even include a future that provides them high paying jobs in safe work locations where they can write edgy statements about murder as if it's just a theoretical rhetorical device."

The debate plays against the backdrop of Gov. Nathan Deal's proposal to create a statewide "Opportunity School District" with the power to fire principals, transfer teachers and change what students are learning at failing schools. Georgia voters will decide in a November 2016 ballot referendum whether to impose the plan.

Note: A version of this post appeared in today's Morning Jolt.

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Daniel Malloy

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