blueeyegirl

Fri, Aug 10, 2012 : 5:34 p.m.

Ignatz wrote: "I foresee a situation where charter and other privately educated children will go to college and or successful lives. Publicly educated students, especially those in urban areas, will end up on the dole or, worse yet, in prison." Response: How sad for you to make this comment...... you need to think about this and reflect on how negative, offensive and untrue this comment is. Very SAD and disappointing! There are very successful publicly educated children, as well as those in urban areas. I graduated from a public school and I have a bachelor's degree from U of M and a Master's degree from Law School. I challenge those who are writing these negative comments… .what is your educational background ?-post compulsory education. Why do you think you are better than someone who is from an urban area, public school? In addition, why would you imply that the parents do not care? Of course, you are superior to those you are writing about – Think about what you are saying!!!!

Basic Bob

Fri, Aug 10, 2012 : 2:05 p.m.

This does not restrict people's choices. There are always "uncles" you can live with in Ann Arbor.

Monica R-W

Fri, Aug 10, 2012 : 5:01 a.m.

Reflect for a minute on what is the true purpose of "Charter Schools". To ensure that "profits" are made on the backs of children for privatized resources. With such, its' amazing that we hear and read "frequent lame talking points" on how Public School Education is BAD and Charter Schools provide "THE ANSWER FOR ALL OF OUR PROBLEMS". Sorry, this is straight hogwash. So let's flash forward another 10-15 years. In this scenario merged Ypsilanti/Willow Run School District is eliminated. Lincoln Consolidated School District is on the brink of elimination and Ann Arbor Public Schools have cut and cut until they can't cut no more. In a effort (although misguided) Van Buren and Milan Public Schools, seeking to protect what enrollment they are left, close "schools of choice" selections for children within their school district. All that will be left under a future like this is Charter Schools in Ypsilanti/Ypsilanti Township area....who now (charter schools that is) say that they are suffering from a lack of financial resources available from State Resources. With that, they decide to charge first a small fee, then increase said fee each two years to ensure their "stability" to provide education for all students. That's how the capitalism model works right? There goes "free public education" right out the window. Key word..."Public" education. Where is any guarantee that "Charter Schools" will continue to provide education for FREE into the future? There is none.

missypsi

Fri, Aug 10, 2012 : 1:36 a.m.

"…You really are trailblazers… I think you can be a model for the rest of the state. We can't — at the expense of the education of our kids — afford to have 500-some districts anymore, quite frankly… You can set a positive tone for the other deficit districts in the state." Nice bromides Mr. Flanningan, but please explain to me how a merged Ypsi/Willow district is supposed to become a "model for the rest of the state" with LESS per pupil funding than Ypsi currently receives? What the agents of the State are NOT telling us is that in the event of a merger, the per pupil funding of each district will be "melded" which means that since Ypsi kids receive around $600 more in per pupil funding than Willow Run kids, the per pupil funding for a merged district will be LESS than it is for Ypsilanti currently. Rep. Routledge, instead of placing a moratorium on charter schools (which seems pointless since we will have two more next year in any case), why don't you and your colleagues on both sides do something REALLY substantive, and guarantee that per pupil funding in the merged district will match or EXCEED (now THERE's an incentive) the current funding levels of the higher resourced district. The consolidation task force has set out an ambitious plan, one that may really turn the district around, but they can't do it with LESS money. Also, for all those who are bashing teachers (suggesting that the merger is an idea somehow hatched to protect teacher salaries and benefits) , please attend more WISD sessions and get yourself informed. In a newly merged district all bets are off for teachers. Their negotiated contracts are null, and they will have to reapply for jobs in the district, under entirely new terms. Teachers will no doubt have to make huge sacrifices to stay in this district and join the ambitious effort to make it a world class learning environment. Lets pray that the great ones stay with us through this process, they will be desperately needed.

snapshot

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 8 p.m.

The unions are trying to prevail again in suppressing competition in education to protect their precious power base and political influence. This district is being praised for their "trailblazing" innovation when they should be penalized for their mismanagement but they continue to be protected from accountability, given extended time lines to attain sub par performance results through forced attendance to maximize revenue. Even now, leadership doesn't "know what the consequences are for their dire financial state" but they know they don't want any competition from charter schools that would hold them accountable for results.

jmcmurray

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 7:38 p.m.

The article says there are three charter schools in the Ypsi area, with two more slated to open in the fall. That will be five other choices parents have to choose from. Mr. Rutledge is protecting the community from additional charters (besides those FIVE that are already there) setting up shop, hoping to make a quick buck by playing on the fears of parents in a newly designed district. This legislation attempts to give the new unified district a chance to demonstrate they have changed. If, after three years, things haven't gotten better, then more charter schools can come in and "save the day."

Martin Church

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 5 p.m.

Let see two failing school districts come together to form a new district ( I Support this) and my state rep wants to block parents in those districts from seeking alternatives for three years. No crime here except to those kids who may not get the education they deserve when they need it. let's see the new district prove themselves. In the mean time don't tie the hands of the parents. It is the parents that are responsible for educating their children. the teachers union have failed to require any education of students or live in the environment the students live in. So mr. Ruthledge stick your bill in the dumpster and let the parents determine where their children will be educated.

glimmertwin

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 2:41 p.m.

"There needs to be a time period where (these districts) can concentrate on pulling all of their resources and programs together and get the new district up and running," No, they should have been trying to run their districts more efficiently before their backs were up against the wall by competition. You can't legislate poor management.

jondhall

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 1:44 p.m.

Remember when you vote "Rutledge talked about a new bill they have been working on to put a moratorium on new charter schools in the new district if it's ultimately approved." State run schools want to eliminate the competition with MEA behind them, this is pure hogwash. Compete or do not survive, that is how the system should have always been built. They had their chance to turn things around, but failed miserably. It is sad as I myself graduated from Willow Run, but the City is Detroit as we know it is gone. Some things are just meant for "change".

Dog Guy

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 1:40 p.m.

Rep. David Rutledge, D-Ypsilanti, could send Tom Loker to round up charter school students and return them to district schools.

Ignatz

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 1:18 p.m.

Charters are good for students who can attend them. Most attend because their parents care. Caring parents take an interest in their children and as a result, are often easier to teach due to upbringing. Those remaining in the district are made up with an increasing percentage of troubled youths, who are not there to learn. The result is mounting classroom disruption that makes teaching and learning almost impossible. Don't blame the teachers or their unions! I foresee a situation where charter and other privately educated children will go to college and or successful lives. Publicly educated students, especially those in urban areas, will end up on the dole or, worse yet, in prison. Charters are a good solution for the few. They are a poor solution for society.

Mike

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 12:25 p.m.

"Rogers and Rutledge talked about a new bill they have been working on to put a moratorium on new charter schools in the new district if it's ultimately approved" Status quo, turf protection legislation - typical reaction to people choosing not to participate in your poor school system. Is this about educating our children or protecting teacher jobs? The answer for Mr. Rutledge is to take away the choices of parents who are not happy with the school system? What country is this again? If these charters are nothing more than money making schemes and don't do a good job educating the children then parents will flock to the public school option. There is a problem with the existing system and until someone within public education stands up and gets the guts to change it the charters will continue to win out. Students are forced to take classes with teachers they don't like, who are poor teachers, and who have lost (if they ever had it) the love of teaching. Many count the days for the early retirement. New teachers are let go first while the old ones who underperform and the kids don't like know they are safe from being let go. Teachers need to be kept because they are good teachers, not because they've beeen around longer than someone else. You want to improve the schools and grow? Then use performance as a metric. You want more flight from the schools? Then continue on as you have done for years and pass laws to limit peoples choices. I don't see how the uniopn leadership cannot see this and members don't demand this. They're hurting themselves and letting their membership down..............

Heather

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 11:08 a.m.

I know about Work Skills, but what is the "second new academy" that is slated to be opened this fall?

Aquarius

Thu, Aug 9, 2012 : 10:47 a.m.

Michigan has the highest percentage of for profit charters in the nation (80%). This has only enriched the predatorial charter operators such as NHA while depleting funding to community schools. Our children are being used as pawns in this money grab over taxpayer dollars. As a taxpayer I resent my dollars going to an obscenely wealthy CEO like JC Huizenga, the operator of these machines of educational greed. Our schools belong to us and our children and not to some businessman out to game the system and turn education into free market entrepreneurialism. I would propose an additional bill to ensure that all charter schools are non-profits and lets give the capitalists some other casino to go and play in. I'm tired of being gamed.