Arkansas Blog

I assume that since they are charter schools, there is no tuition, so why the lack of diversity? Are there discriminatory admission policies (evil) or lack of interest on the part of minorities (not my problem)?

It would be ironic is weren't so pitiful that all those millions were made off of the poor and middle class. They have financed their own destruction. How classy of the Waltons to make billions off of these folks and then turn on them. We are in the new guilded age.

I hate the new format.

Seems like most things these days remind me how old I'm getting, not how young I am. Is "segregation academy" just a term that was before my time, or is it a new phrase developed to describe something older? Put another way - though I have an idea, I'd like to know what is meant by "segregation academy".

The thing about the new format - and maybe it can't be helped - is that ads take up 2/3 of the page. That's much more than other blogs or the print edition.

BTW, love the format - just wish you'd lose the Time New Roman (or similar) font and go to something more modern. Looks like the text box for entering comments uses Arial or something similar - much nicer.

To cloud the picture with accuracy, consider this: Haas Hall is not located in Fayetteville, but in Farmington. The minority enrollment at Farmington is 9.4% , less than the 11.1% minority enrollment at Haas Hall.

There are currently no charter schools in the Springdale district, so their numbers are only pertinent when considering the LISA charter school application to open a school within the district boundaries. Springdale has two public high schools; Springdale High and Har-Ber High. As stated, the minority enrollment at Springdale High is 47%, the number used in the blog post, left out was the minority enrollment of the other Springdale public high school, Har-Ber High, which is only 25%. The LISA school located in Little Rock has a minority enrollment of 47%. Choice by nature of ability to purchase high priced homes in secluded subdivisions is ok, but choice for any other reason, like quality of education, is not?

The thing about these charter schools not having much of a minority enrollment compared to the surrounding public schools is the fact that their very existence (with a low minority enrollment) pushes up the minority enrollment of the public schools in the area. A charter school's existence (with no neglegible minority enrollment) certainly exascerbates problems for a surrounding nearby public school who has to take any and everyone who is presented to it for enrollment.

The creation of charter schools in Arkansas is a nefarious attempt by the Waltons and Hussmans of the state to nibble away, little by little, the quality of our public schools until they can no longer exist in the manner in which they have been known for generations. Then, public schools will give way to vouchers, which will lead to their total demise. A total annihilation of public education is the agenda of these folks.

Ones Zeroes

Consider:
"Haas Hall's budget for the 2004-05 school year shows 36.4 percent of expenditures go toward paying the five administrators' salaries. In 2006, state officials reported that Haas Hall also owed $79,816 in fees and fines to the Internal Revenue Service and about $63,000 total to the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration and the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System. Even a public school graduate can tell this is not a good deal for the taxpayers."

Farmington is adjacent to Fayetteville, their respective city limits are separated by a sign. and in the past 10 years saw an explosion of subdivision development, primarily in mid-income housing. One public high school official remarked that Haas Hall is little more than a religious school. I read both local papers daily and note that Hass Hall is skilled at getting favorable press coverage, yet little critical review (as above) on actual results of it's operations.

Blue,

Did you miss the O&Z post? To add an additional fact (sure to confuse), charter schools are public schools and, as such, must take, "anyone and everyone that is presented to it for enrollment." If applications exceed capacity, selection must be done by lottery--including weighted lotteries, if necessary to minimize the impact on deseg efforts.

As for annihilation of public education that, unfortunately, has been progressing well without charter schools (see LRSD). Giving parents choices, regardless of income, would seem to be a fair alternative to the traditional "choice" options available only to those who can afford private schools.

But, maybe only "involved" parents will select charter schools, thereby widening the achievement gap in traditional public schools. Yes, there might be "Black flight" when involved African-American parents take their best out of the traditional public schools (see mudturtle's initial comment).

LWood, could you cite the source of your quote? I can't quite divine it.

OBE says:

"The creation of charter schools in Arkansas is a nefarious attempt by the Waltons and Hussmans of the state to nibble away, little by little, the quality of our public schools until they can no longer exist in the manner in which they have been known for generations. Then, public schools will give way to vouchers, which will lead to their total demise. A total annihilation of public education is the agenda of these folks."

You know, it IS a conspiracy! Your post has convinced me, and it is worse than you think. Those Hussman's and Walton's started laying the groundwork to destroy Arkansas' stellar public school system fifteen years ago. Quietly, or so quietly, they snuck into the hallowed halls of congress and cast a spell on our congress, forcing them to pass charter legislation. To make sure that their plan would completely annihilate the Arkansas Public Education system, they started beta projects in forty or so states, while Arkansans difted unaware that they were the target of this masterterful Hussman/Walton plan to destroy Arkansas' pubic schools. Cleverly, they let that die down a bit, and then crept into the hearts and minds of Arkansas' elected legislators, they know no shame! Kaboom! No more public schools. Kaboom! No more truth, justice or the American way.

Or, maybe I overreact. Surely it is not that bad, now is it?