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A friend of mine was employed briefly by a charter school here in Michigan. Her experience match Redpoll's.

My friend found out quickly that parents were more interested in high grades rather than in high achievement. When she insisted on giving students grades that reflected their comprehension of the materials, the phone calls from parents started immediately.

Her principal quickly let her know that one student = $6800, and unhappy parents means a drop in enrollment. Ultimately, she was told that her contract would not be renewed.

A week after she was giving verbal notice, but before she got the written notice of her termination, the standardized "MEAP" test scores came out. Her students scored at the top of the county's schools for science scores. Suddenly, her principal was boasting of my friend's success. The written notice was never delivered.

My friend now teaches in a public school again.

The pay is better. Public schools are saddled with tenured loser teachers and misbehaving students. Charter schools are saddled with teachers that can't be replaced due to low pay, and students whose parents expect straight A's, and who represent a paycheck to the staff and owners. The outcomes, sadly, are the same.

Dislike "Fuzzy Math," "Revisionist History," "Evolution Only," "Inability to conjugate a verb or identify one in a sentence" "Bilingual Studies?" Just wait until you get a load of Public School's take on the Constitution, and your child's rights thereunder. All other issues will pale by comparison.

Think that Handbook you sign is just agreeing that your child will not: run in the halls, chew gum in class, disrespect their elders, hold hands in the halls, shove or fight another student, wear a hat in class, OR that you, as a responsible parent, won't allow or encourage the consumption of drugs and alcohol by any minor in your home or supply the same to those minors? Think again, folks.

By signing that Handbook, you have just signed away your rights as a parent, (i.e. to be notified in an emergency, to provide your child counsel if he or she is accused of misbehavior, or forced to write a statement against his/her best interests, without legal counsel, and will be told how to "frame the issues" if he or she doesn't understand what he or she is being accused of, which will be used against them by a policeman [who may receive up to 40-50% of their salary from the School District] and in a court of law.)

You will not be notified if an abortion is recommended by the school nurse or she takes your child to have one. You will not be notified if your child is cuffed and taken away to the police department. You will not be notified of any action the "Public School" takes against your child. It's time you all wake up and realize that your children are in danger in many, many public schools in this country, and that Handbook signature will stand up in a court of law.