The Epidemic of Charter Schools: A Saga, Business and Politics

Man in black suit holding a white 
piggy bank between his two hands. 

One of the foremost shortcomings of charter schools in America, despite having valuable roots, is the intrinsic political and financial gain they promote. Touted originally as a bridge toward bipartisanship, charter schools seemed to be the only thing Democrats and Republicans could share sides on: yes, they all voted, lets work to revamp American public education. However, in the present divisive political climate, charter schools have fallen into yet another sticky and tricky topic for parents and politicians to argue about. Additionally, although many are run by non-profit organizations, there are a number created by for-profits and even wealthy businesses. Charter schools run for profit exacerbate many of the same issues outlined in previous blog posts. They excessively underserve low-income and black and brown students, many of their students do not qualify for free-or-reduced lunch and their demographics are predominantly white. Additionally although it is not explicit, they serve special needs and disability populations at a lower rate per capita. Charters run for profit benefit from indirectly excluding these groups through the extra public funding they are eligible to receive based on biased reports of higher state test scores from their tilted student populations. In tandem with school choice policies, these charter schools are able to appeal to under educated parents by hiding the profits they make outside of public funding.

As unbiased as I would like to be, it is more than evident that I am not a fan of charter schools. Despite the advantages some have for teachers: more freedom in curriculum, higher pay at some institutions, newer facilities and resources; it is not enough for me to overlook the damage they do to the general population of students. Charter schools have only further politicized education. Rather than creating a space that is safer for students and more conducive to their success, many elected officials vote for charter schools under the influence of the money lined pockets of corporations that run them. As mentioned in my last blog post, the most successful charters are those with strong support and regulatory systems. Although public schools should share the freedom in curriculum and spending that charters have, they require a strong foundation for a successful student body. Unbiased regulation systems that are not politically charged against “inappropriate content” and too focused on “uniform policies” based in rape-culture. Making schools a safe space is not difficult, it is only make difficult by the political and financial implications and ramifications tied to public education by policymakers.