In Seattle, at a recent debate on charter schools at the University of Washington, sparring was intense.In a somewhat related article, Milwaukee School District residents are near their annual voucher cap (15% of district students). Sarah Carr takes a look at the politics, both locally and from the Governor. Posted by Jim Zellmer at October 25, 2004 10:19 PM | TrackBack"How long do I have to allow my kids to go to the public schools?" asked Henterson S. Carlisle, a teacher whose two children attend his school in the Seattle public system. "At what point can African-American kids who are suffering in the public system have some different options?"
A few minutes later in the same debate, Catherine Ahl, president of a school board on the Kitsap Peninsula west of Seattle and an officer of the Washington League of Women Voters, argued that charter schools, which are run by private boards rather than publicly elected ones, "take away citizens' rights to oversee the spending of tax dollars."
"We shouldn't divert funds to create a separate, private school system," Ms. Ahl said.