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There are several points among the many unfortunate and inaccurate statements in “Class Dismissed” (1/10) that deserve some attention.
1. Too often, author Stephanie Mencimer feels quite free to associate children’s receipt of free or reduced-priced meals with the quality of the education they receive. If, in fact, this is true, then the school system is guilty of violating the equal-protection clause of the Constitution, because it fails to serve poor children as well as rich children. Whether children come from homes making $1 million or $5,000 a year, they deserve a good education.
2. Many of the underlying references to schools appear to be more concerned about their racial makeup, as opposed to whether they’re doing a good job educating children. The two schools that have made the most significant gains on test scores in Washington are located in Southeast. One is a charter school, the other a traditional public school. There is no great clamoring for admittance by white parents at either of these schools.
3. I know of few charter schools that target low-performing children. And the location of the schools has much more to do with available real estate than anything else. There is no real estate available on Capitol Hill or in Ward 3 that is affordable for charter operators.
Your paper wasted space on a poorly researched and divisive article.
Chair
Friendship Public Charter School