Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Are Religious Public/Charter Schools Possible? Or Even Desirable?

Charter School Policy Institute

There’s an interesting editorial in Education Week this week about the legalities and practicalities of starting religious charter schools. One of the authors, Lawrence D. Weinberg, has a book on the subject coming out in September. Food for thought.

Link to the original article.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Greek Charter School Raises Scores - and Some Hackles

The New York Sun

At a Park Slope elementary school on Brooklyn's Fifth Avenue, popular book bag themes include Mickey Mouse and Dora the Explorer. "Norbit" is a favorite film. The preferred morning greeting on a recent Thursday: Kalimera.

At the Hellenic Classical Charter School, Modern Greek — in which kalimera means "good morning" — is a required part of the curriculum. As one of the 11 culturally themed charter schools to open in the city since 2002, so are Greek history, Greek traditions, and even Greek dance.

Link to the original article.

What About Religious Charter Schools?

Education Week
COMMENTARY
Lawrence D. Weinberg & Bruce S. Cooper

Charter schools are gaining in popularity, with approximately 4,000 now open, enrolling some 1.1 million U.S. children with more participating every year. Since the charter school movement began in 1991 in Minnesota, these schools have filled a need in American society, giving individuals, communities, and local associations a chance to create their own schools—with tax dollars paying the basic costs.

A major, unresolved question remains, however: What about opening and funding religious charter schools? How would localities handle the many complexities of funding charter schools that have a religious, social, and cultural mission? History offers some perspective.

Link to the original article.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Critics: Hallandale charter school oversteps church-state line

South Florida Sun-Sentinel

The Ben Gamla Charter School will open this fall at the Hallandale Jewish Center. The principal is a rabbi. The Hebrew/English curriculum will be based, in part, on Jewish tradition.

Depending on who you ask, the Ben Gamla school will either be a secular bilingual charter school or a taxpayer-funded religious school that violates the U.S. Constitution's separation of church and state.

Link to the original article.