Public v.s. Charter Schools

Mr. O'Connell, Governor Schwarzenegger, President Obama,
Please do not take funding away from public schools, especially elementary schools. I am a second grade teacher in a wonderful public elementary school here in Los Angeles. It has been built up in the community by a very talented principal and involved parents.It is small and intimate, where the families feel comfortable and safe enough to spend time on campus getting to know us teachers and each other. Their involvement in the school activities and knowing the teachers is crucial, as we know, to the quality of the school. The three hundred or so families, whose children are there from kindergarten to fifth grade, are mostly immigrants with American born children.
Charter schools are not the way to go. The problem is that they are not all located where the children and their families live. Another issue is the quality of their teachers. Thirdly, the funds they operate on are mostly private donations and therefore not under government jurisdiction or regulation. The AB1137 requirements for "re-authorization" of charter schools are not effective enough. the charter school only has to perform as well as the surrounding public schools. The school is measured by tests that are loosely prepared and subject to bias. Even if these meager standards are not met, the school can continue to operate regardless.
As you know, some of our schools in the Los Angeles area are the worst in the country. The elementary school I mentioned initially is, however, proof that our public schools can redeem themselves. We must improve on the infrastructure we have, aided by federal, state and local governments. Ending busing, keeping schools small and community based and raising the expectations of the teachers the administrators and the students is the key to our renewing the high standards that our schools once had.