A Call for a Charter School; With Good Reason

[Telda Truth]

Those of us [b]sincerely[/b] [b]interested[/b] in giving our children an opportunity to achieve and compete at a higher level of performance academically should be given an alternative to the high schools in this district. Newsday’s article about [i]new charter schools on Long Island, [/i][i]September 4th, 09,[/i] makes the point very well. Classrooms are in turmoil because of disruptive students, lateness, and a variety of other ongoing activities which take valuable instruction time away from classroom teacher. Administrators, staff, teachers, and good students will concur if they are asked and if they are willing to give a fair and honest answer. I observed this first hand working as a temporary office assistant. The clear alternative is either a satellite school for the gifted and talented, a trade school other than B.O.C.E.S. as in the city school system or a charter school where inappropriate behavior is seriously addressed, teachers are encouraged to teach creatively, and students can say with pride and a sense of accomplishment that they graduated from a Sachem high school. We do pay higher taxes in this district. It is just a matter of when we start to pay back on the bonds the district offered for expansion. We should get a quality education in our schools or have some alternatives in place. The new superintendent has his job cut out for him or her. Not surprisingly, the board had to go outside the district for a qualified candidate. Candidates within the district are too complacent with the status quo and why not: they can play the same game year after year and go unchallenged.