 |
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
Charter schools are worth a test
After a decade of efforts, the Legislature this year came up with a reasoned law to allow a limited test of charter schools. It turns out that the careful exercise of responsibility by elected representatives wasn't enough to head off an ideologically fueled ballot-box confrontation.
Charter school opponents apparently have gathered enough signatures to put the law on the November ballot, forcing the suspension of any charter school action until then.
Under the state constitution, citizens have every right to turn to direct democracy. But this referendum fits a growing pattern of excessive reliance on what should be a last resort against government inaction, inattention or favoritism for special interests.
In this case, the Legislature acted to offer the state a limited experiment with the potential to spread more creative methods of education. First, though, lawmakers listened to everyone (including the teachers union now fighting the law), learned from experiences in other states and put in limits on new charter schools.
That good work may get boiled down to a simplistic yes or no question on the November ballot. Too bad.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
· Sound Transit: Let the debate begin
· Food banks: Lines are growing as economy shrinks
· Hamdan case: Let court do its job
· 'McBama' is the right position on Iraq
· Al Gore, T. Boone Pickens are unlikely allies
· 'High incomes' tax more fair
· Go native to help save the Sound
· The 'fix' for homeless animals
· Is 'The One' cocky or commander in chief?
· Adulation for Obama needs to be tempered with realism
· Refighting the surge gets McCain nowhere against Obama
· W: 'Wall Street got drunk and now it's got a hangover'
more
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
