Replies

(7) Not every student's parents will request a voucher, based on past experience with these schools [IMO, that happens because some parents are truly uninvolved in education, or, some parents may prefer to keep their child in that failing public school for whatever reason];

I work at charter school. We have had some parents pull their kids out over differences concerning education or discipline policies, which is a legitemate excuse.

We have also had some pull out over the stupidest things, after they admit their kid was doing much better. Here is a list of some ridiculous excuses.

She wants to be with her friends (even though the school stinks).

He wants to ride the bus.

I don't want to make lunch every day.

She hates the uniforms.

I hate having to get up and drive them every day.

These are some of the reasons given by parents when they have pulled their kids out of our school. We increased the kids' reading levels 1-2 years, but giving their children what they want or making life easy for the parent was more important than the child's education. Some things are just more important than others to different people.

We increased the kids' reading levels 1-2 years, but giving their children what they want or making life easy for the parent was more important than the child's education. Some things are just more important than others to different people.

Betty Jane, thank you VERY much for that on-target post.

In my own experience, as a brand new teacher in a low income inner city school, I had one student who was extremely well dressed and always very polite. He stuck out like a sore thumb at that particular school.

I later learned he lived very close to a much better public school in a suburban area quite a distance aways -- however, here he was, at a low graded inner city public school.

His mother explained to me she worked nearby, and it was easier for her to drop him off at this school (a low performing inner city school), than at the (better performing, suburban) school in his neighborhood.

What more can I say....

My son went to a charter school last year and I heard some of the same reasons for students leaving. Many parents won't apply for vouchers for these same reasons. In defense of some of the teachers, they often get little parents support at these failing schools.I will be honest and plead quilty to not giving much time to the school last year. I am a widow with one child, it must be hard for other single parents with children in different schools.