An open letter to Kitty Boitnott & the VEA
Dear Ms. Boitnott,
We recently came across your blog entry, in which you wrote:
There are those who would misrepresent or mis-characterize or take our comments out of context for their own political aims, however. And while they think they are clever in their derision, they just strike me as unable to debate the merits of the issue every time they feel the need to criticize me personally or the VEA in general.
You went on to add:
What I find unfortunate is that the folks who disagree with us on these and similar issues can’t seem to separate the issues from personalities. Please, let us debate the merits and demerits of the issue of charter schools, pay for performance, vouchers and tax credits. But can’t we do it without the negative tone of implied derision and open disrespect that comes with name calling and the deliberate mis-characterization and misinterpretation of positions?
Whatever happened to the process of civil public discourse?
I think we as adults set a terrible example for our children when we engage in disrespectful public debate. We know better. We should do better.
As you reference the August 21st article from the Richmond Times Dispatch editorial pages, we are led to believe you are referring, at least in part, to the article written by Mr. Barton Hinkle, that examines the efforts by Delegate Chris Saxman and the organization he founded, School Choice Virginia, to give parents greater access to educational choices in the Commonwealth.
What shocks us in your blog entry is that you yourself make the call for civil public discourse. We could not agree with you more in that regard, which is why we wonder why you yourself made the accusation in an article for The New Dominion Magazine that school choice efforts were based in bigotry. (Your quote: “All of this stuff about, We need vouchers so we can send our kids other places, we need to provide choices, we need charter schools, all of it is simply an attempt to get away from the responsibility of providing a public education, which is what this country has been founded on. This really frustrates me, and I really believe there is an underlying bigotry at the bottom of it all that nobody wants to address.”)
That to us seems to be shirking from a debate about the issues in a civil and respectable fashion. Rather than debate on the issues, it is you yourself who stoops to open disrespect by implying that those of us fighting to give children a chance and parents a choice are no more than bigots wanting to pick who our children play with on the playground.
We have consistently provided evidence for how educational choice improves education- for all students- including those in public schools. We have shown the positive results for choice programs in other states. We have also shown how school choice will effectively save the Commonwealth money- money that could be re-invested in public schools- if you are able to make your case for that.
We welcome you to the discussion about truly reforming education in our Commonwealth, and we would welcome some civil public discourse on the topic without the negative tones. Unfortunately your words on your blog ring hollow when compared to your other public statements on the issue.
Best for kids or best for bureaucracies?
Our apologies for being a little late in posting this letter to the editor of the Washington Post, from Chris Braunlich, Vice President of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy. Mr. Braunlich has been closely involved with School Choice Virginia from the beginning, and here he explains “Why Virginia Needs Charter Schools.”
Charter schools are an important part of a vibrant system of parental choice in education. As we have argued many times, education should not be limited to a one-size-fits-all model. A diverse state, with students with diverse learning styles and interests, requires diverse educational models to give every student the right environment they need to succeed.
Sadly, the Virginia Education Association- the teacher’s union- continues to stand opposed to giving students and families educational choices. We believe that all teachers want their students to be successful- so why is the union that supposedly represents these teachers standing in the way of educational choices that could help all students to succeed?
Mr. Braunlich writes, in part:
Particularly disappointing was Ms. Boitnott’s preoccupation with arguing what’s best for bureaucracies, rather than what’s best for kids. She cited a recent Rand study but ignored its conclusion that charter high school students are eight to 10 percentage points more likely to enroll in college than their traditional public school counterparts.
Last year, more than 17,000 Virginians did not graduate on time. Among at-risk students, nearly 30 percent of students disappeared between ninth and 12th grades. In places such as Petersburg, more than 40 percent of all students dropped out.
Quality charter schools have demonstrated effectiveness in helping those students succeed. Shouldn’t the teachers union focus on bringing quality charters into the commonwealth, rather than finding new excuses to keep them out?
