A failing traditional public school in Massachusetts was turned into a charter school a few years ago, and “within three years, it was one of the most successful schools in the district,” the74million.org reports. Now, the local teachers union is getting rid of the school, and parents are desperate for answers:
Earlier this year, a new union president from another school did something unprecedented — at least in Haverhill, a city of 61,000 in the northeastern-most corner of the state. After consulting with the union’s lawyer, Lisa Begley decided to extend the vote to teachers in Haverhill’s other schools. The union then circulated materials arguing — inaccurately, in the eyes of the school’s leadership — that Silver Hill’s success came at the expense of the other schools.
In June, the union voted against renewing the charter, sending the Silver Hill community into shock. Massachusetts requires schools that are closing to let parents know what happens next within 10 days, but [parent Devan] Ferreira and her neighbors had gone weeks without answers by the time they decided to raise their concerns at the July 27 district board meeting.
The silver lining here is that families in the Silver Hill community will realize the true stripes of the teachers unions. Let’s hope families in the rest of the country will sit up and listen, too.
SOURCE: the74million.org
IN THIS ISSUE:
- DeVOS: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos isn’t backing down in her push for school choice.
- ARIZONA: An anti-school choice group is trying to halt expansion of the state’s education savings account program.
- ONLINE: Online classes are so popular in Missouri, the state’s largest school district has decided to go digital.
- WISCONSIN: A Wisconsin school is moving to a larger building after a school choice program fuels enrollment growth.
- LAS VEGAS: Homeschooling is booming in Las Vegas.
Common Core and Curriculum Watch
- VR: An Indianapolis charter school is incorporating virtual reality into science classes.
- GENDER BENDER: A NYC teacher alleges he was fired for objecting to a “gender bender” day at his school.
- BROOKLYN: A school in Brooklyn wants kids to learn material sooner or later and refuses to fail students.
- PHILADELPHIA: Charter school teachers vote to unionize in the City of Brotherly Love.
- LATER START TIMES: The push for later start times at school is growing.
- INDIANA: Students will soon have to show more evidence they’re prepared for college or career if they want to graduate.
- CHINA: International students are flooding into U.S. schools, with Chinese students leading the way in search of a high school diploma.