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JesusOfBeer t1_j28oz9b wrote

Reply to comment by [deleted] in DAE feel like the city is about to explode and experience massive growth? by ticonderoga-

That requires money which means people have to move into Philly… we have to shutdown charters too

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everydayacheesesteak t1_j28u9nu wrote

Charters are why middle class people are even willing to move to Philly and buy homes. Homes which fund the Philly school district. I don’t think the school district will ever be fixed. I don’t think it’s a question of money. Growing up, I went to catholic school, my neighborhood friends went to public in Philly. A good 1/3 of them were illiterate in 8th grade. The ones that were put on the “LD” list because their parents didn’t care if they did their homework or passed tests. They were perfectly normal kids. The friends I had whose parents were invested did fine in public but they dealt with a lot more violence than I did. Just my exp.

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Mr_Fraunces t1_j28w0t5 wrote

The Catholic school system has been hanging their hat on that old canard since before I was going to school. My younger brother was classified as Learning Disabled and St. Christopher's told my parents he wasn't welcome to return after 1st grade. Back then they just said he was hyperactive and to stop letting him have sugar. I don't think ADHD was really understood back then.

The other issue has to do with whether or not the parents place an emphasis or value education. If parents are paying to send their children to Catholic school then they obviously place some value on education.

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JesusOfBeer t1_j2957ku wrote

Right, I guess that’s why the vast majority of Charters do worse than the public option and tend to just operate as a way to extract cash from public funds to private hands. Eliminating the vast majority of charters, which operate as a means for private investors to legally take taxpayer funds, would save the district from giving up around +$1 billion per year to the charters that drain our local resources. Why would anyone of “middle class” status send their kid to a charter when they tend to have the money to send them to the dozens of private schools in the region?

Your experience demonstrates learning was not valued at home because school doesn’t magically make you literate. People taking time to read and grow their reading skills makes them literate. Properly resourced and supported schools can support families more effectively… eliminating charters helps refocus the resources more effectively.

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