In the central city education fight, both groups (Little Rock School District supporters and those favoring charter schools) are wrong.
The district's supporters make intense presentations about unjust treatment but that tactic fails to cause the Powerful People to change. The charter group is not concerned about the many thousands of children not attending their schools. They are fixated on getting as much space as they need to educate select children. Because they are villages, charters will succeed, but they refuse to share their winning ways with all the children, and instead relish exclusivity.
The much-maligned district supporters exhibit a sense of righteousness that hinders them from addressing the failure of some schools and the flawed status of the district. They want people to accept less than the best, magnify the few successes, and live with the promise that eventually schools will improve. Lack of significant change sends folks flocking to private and charter schools.
Long waiting lists keeps charter schools in a powerful position and focused on the future. By design, charters compete with the other schools, so why should they help them? The charter groups are so taken by their success that they do not see the need, nor are they asked to share their effective organization with the Little Rock School District.
If the district supporters win, neighborhood schools that separate folks by income and race will continue setting a terrible tone that drives many away. If the charter group wins, then Little Rock segregates by school types with the charters serving one set of students and the regular schools teaching the rest, producing ghetto-like conditions in low-income regular school neighborhoods. What is the solution?
With the state controlling the Little Rock and Pulaski County districts, now is the time to unite them into a district south of the river. We have a hand-picked school boss in Mr. Michael Poore and two outstanding appointees who could cut management costs in half by merging the districts, sending millions back to classrooms. Everything is in place to pick a board in November.
In 2005, Shane Broadway sponsored a bill (Senate Bill 858, now Act 1368 of 2005) encouraging school districts to partner with government agencies in order better to serve the community. Our leaders should use that law to improve services and save money. For example, by partnering with Rock Region Metro, the Little Rock School District would save a minimum of $12 million in transportation costs. Following the example of their charter schools, $19.50 monthly bus passes could be bought for every student for 10 months for less than $5 million. The current budget requires $17 million for transportation. Many equally inviting partnerships like libraries, recreational facilities, auditoriums, workplace skill development, athletic clubs, and others could bring the community together and save money by making use of the Broadway law.
The charter schools have proven that they can function well without expensive central office control. The next logical step is to design charter-like schools (villages) for the new South Little Rock School District and give them independence and flexibility. They and the previous charter schools would get total support (currently, charters get around 90 percent) from the district providing at least a 10 percent boost in funds for the former charters. Villages are independent campuses serving pre-K to 12th grades in partnership with the city, county and state so the public gets maximum use of their tax dollar.
Besides the charter schools now converted to villages, new villages will be formed near Central High, the zoo, the Leisure Arts campus, Robinson area, and Mabelvale, to name a few possibilities. The new villages are built along the Rock Region Metro lines to take full advantage of the public transportation system by students.
Mr. Baker Kurrus is the ideal person to sell and buy property for villages and negotiate a deal to rid ourselves of the yellow buses. With Mr. Kurrus' expertise, millions could be gathered for village construction.
Also, any group that wishes to continue using a neighborhood school will negotiate with Mr. Kurrus or Mr. Jerry Guess for that privilege. Although Mr. Poore will now manage a larger student population, his job will be simplified because villages are self-managed like charters and need only minor central office oversight.
All that is needed now is for the state, Little Rock School District supporters, charter groups, leaders, and this writer to sit down at a big table and work out the details. An opportunity like this does not happen often. If the Powerful People have an open mind and a willing heart, we could create education villages that would be the envy of the world and end the struggle that has gone on for too many years in our fair city. Do you hear me?
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Richard Emmel of Little Rock is a retired teacher.
Editorial on 06/13/2016