During this time of such harsh political division and cultural disagreement, it is a pleasant surprise to see so many Democrats and Republicans agreeing on one important issue: our children’s need for a good public education.

Forty-one states have already adopted charter schools as just another way of expanding its inventory of resources to promote education. Vote for Initiative 1240 this November; a couple of reasons why from the initiative itself.

— Give priority to charter organizers who want to serve disadvantaged children and students trapped in poorly performing traditional schools.
— Require that charter schools comply with all state and federal nondiscrimination laws.
— Allow them to specialize in teaching students at risk of academic failure, including children with disabilities or severe behavioral problems.
— Forbid any religious influence in admissions, hiring or instruction.
— Forbid for-profit companies from running them.
— Require that their teachers meet the same certification standards as their counterparts in traditional schools.
— Require them to submit to annual performance reviews.
— Hold them to the same academic standards and student performance assessments as other public schools.
— Require that they be approved either by the local school district or by a new state charter school commission. The second option is essential; a district with failing schools may be especially resistant to escape routes.

Mick Sheldon
Kingston