WWTBAM Bored

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/30/us/p ... chool.html

Correct me if I'm wrong. Proponents for this want the state to directly fund their schools, right?

I agree with vouchers for tax payers to send their kids wherever.

But not for the state to directly fund a particular religion's school.

Am I missing something?

No, you're not missing anything.

IMO, the charter school initiative is a big "aw just screw it. Let's quit trying to fix it." for public education. I blame both sides. The left for continuing to push agendas that degrade the public eductation system by adding non-value add curricula and spending money on programs that don't deliver value and weaken the resolve of students to take accountability for thier lives. And the right for giving up the fight for all kids and not being brash enough to call out those programs. That is one thing I like about Trump is he's not afraid to call out things that are wrong, especially things that are simply "feel good" programs and policies.

Without commenting on whatever the current thing is, I have spent the past several years trying to understand charter schools. I finally asked someone in the field (a principal of a private school for kids with various challenges). They said these schools can be either good or bad, depending on who is running the school and what their goal is.

The schools that are trying to make money tend not to be good at education, and the ones that are trying to provide good education tend to lose money.

That fits with my understanding of public education, in that I think it should be a public good and not a moneymaker. Like public transportation and police and fire departments and the post office. And if I were in charge, healthcare would be a public good and not an attempt to make money, but I am not in charge.