Charter schools are an interesting and potentially powerful altenative. Main stream education - cookie cutter, factory, mass prduced education - does not work for a significant minority. Pagmtic considerations alone demand support for more alternatives and moe choices.

Charter schools are an alternative to many, but that doesn't make normal schools bad.
As a matter of fact, public education does quite well for the vast majority of students, including those on either end of the Bell curve. Negative words like "Mass-produced and cookie cutter" are emotionally-charged and fictional, considering the wide variety of well-trained teachers in the public schools. Plus, larger schools are able to offer a much wider variety of selections and options to match the needs of any and all students.
Students in almost any school can get what they really want and need if they are willing to work.

YEah except "mass produced and cookie cutter" are very relevant words for public schools. I am a student that has gone to public school all the way up until this year, and i recognize a huge difference in my education. The curriculum, individual help, and care in public schools are all lacking. In public school all students are treated the same, the teachers give you the same attention and do not help individuals. THis is not the teachers fault but more of the districts for allowing so many kids in each class. The teachers many times have to dumb down the education they give to the whole class due to some struggling individuals. This causes the rest of the students that don't need "dumbing down" to be hurt educationally and because their classes are being "dumbed down" that makes them lower their learning standards and in return be dumbed down themselves.

Charter School are a major step back with respect to fundamental human rights for employees. The State Charter Board advocates and requires that charter applicants have "at will" employment policies..which are essentially no due process for teachers, administrators, etc. They are draconian in design and inherently flawed. Why would any decent person ever want to work for a group of dysfunctional and vision challenged idiotic people is beyond my imagination!!!!!