Do You Support Charter Schools?

Getting ready for the new school year of course means buying new clothes for the kids and supplies. It also means trying to find the best school for your children.

For some, that just means the local public school. Others might choose a private school or even home schooling. And what about charter schools?

The Los Angeles Unified School District is reportedly considering taking a hard-line approach to the area's charter schools, claiming they are a drain on the district's resources and lack accountability.

Marin County has a handful of charter schools. According to the 2006-07 Marin County Grand Jury Report:

The chartering district, however, is required to provide funding, facilities, and oversight. This structure almost inevitably creates tensions between School District Boards of Education and administrators on the one hand, and charter school Boards and administrators on the other. These tensions include struggles over funding and the perception that charter schools cast doubt on the quality of traditional public schools.

But charter schools can provide a successful alternative approach to education, or might focus on an underserved segment of the community. Let's face it, traditional public high schools just aren't the right fit for everyone. And not everyone can afford a private school. For some, a charter school is the only path to a quality education.

Need to get something off your chest, but you don't who to tell? Let us know and together we can make sure the community leaders hear our voices.

What makes you happy and proud to live this community and what drives you crazy? Give us your rants and rave, but please keep it clean and to the point.

This isn't a fruitless exercise. We'll turn as many Rants into stories that we can, following up with the right people on the questions you want asked or the problems you want solved.

Now put us to work. Rant away!

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