Letters: EVALUATION OF CHARTERS MAKES NO SENSE

ARECENT editorial stated some charter public schools don't perform much differently than traditional district public schools.

But many do, including my childrens' 2007-08 National Charter School of the Year, MaST Community Charter School. It has consistently met adequate yearly progress.

Charters were created because traditional public schools weren't successful for many families.

Today, more than 20,000 students are on charter school waiting lists. It doesn't make sense to have the school district administration evaluate charter schools.

Administrators are under an unavoidable conflict of interest. They represent a district under financial duress; you cannot have the same people examining district budgets and charter renewals, especially when charters are falsely characterized as draining district resources.

The SRC approved seven new charters based on the merits of these schools and the need for school choice in the communities the charters would operate.

That's not curious - that's supply meeting demand. I am a volunteer member of the charter school task force, created in December by a SRC resolution, but not convened by the SRC until May.

Recommendations (not guidelines) based on public meetings will be presented to the SRC for vote June 11, as promised.

Improving the working relationship, communication, partnership and trust between the charter school community and the school district is a must as we strive to educate the city's school children.

Karen D. Lash, Founding Member

Parents Unified for Charter Schools

They got what they deserved

I have no sympathy for the graffiti bandit or the 16-year-old kid (arrested so many times, he's lost count), who say they were beaten by police. If you deface property, you deserve to get beat. If you break the law to the point where you can't count how many times you've been arrested, you deserve to get beat.

The only difference: The graffiti idiot should have been beaten by the property owner, and the delinquent should have been beaten by his parents. Obviously the current justice system is a joke to the kid.

Niko Chan, Philadelphia