We need to think about the impact the rise of charter schools is having on the public school system. We should not have another charter school in Teaneck when the public school system is losing so much--for example, the high school music and drama program is being seriously defunded. As every parent and educator knows, it is the opportunity to participate in plays, concerts, and other music and art events that keep many students excited about school and often leads to careers in those fields. We have already lost the AV department at the high school--it was what he learned through his involvement in that department that kept my son in high school and led to his current career.

Sounds as though, if Teaneck is hosting a state-wide school, we should collect rent and money for other expenses from the State. What is happening in New Jersey?! How can we call a halt??! The worst thing, I think, that has ever happened to children - who are now being deprived of their childhood - was No Child Left Behind. It looks as though there is more to come to threaten childhood and the future of public education.

Teaneck is getting fleeced. It costs more than $30,000 a year to educate a student in Newark and YOU pay for it, whereas a student costs half that amount in our area of Bergen County. Nonetheless, you sit idly by and allow it to happen without demanding accountability.

Instead of worrying about saving a couple dollars by cutting your bus routes or this Bill for a Teaneck Charter School, why not demand the money is owed to Teaneck rather than sending it to Newark or Hoboken (which is an Abbott School District)? Teaneck could receive nearly $30,000,000.00 a year instead of sending it to support other School Districts like Newark and Hoboken who are not spending your money on the children. If they were, I would not be bringing this up.

Hold your State Senator, Assembly man and woman accountable. Start by having your local Board of Education demonstrate that they care about the inequality holding Teaneck's children back.

Ask them why they are not standing up to Abbott. Do it at this meeting.

Repeatedly, I attach the documents that quantify what I am speaking about, and here is the newest article from an independent reporter of the Star Ledger.

http://blog.nj.com/njv_paul_mulshine/2011/11/education_expenditures_are_eve.html

Tonight's meeting is not about Abbott or the misread figure of "more than $30,000" - even according to the article above that is not the average per pupil cost on Newark; at best it is the cost per high school student, if you believe the rough math of adding 1/6 of the cost of elementary spending to secondary spending.

Tonight, go to this meeting not to challenge the BOE, but to unite with the residents of your town against the threat of privatized education, something Keith Jensen, political candidate, said he would support as recently as October 17, 2011.

Ms. White, your post conflates 3 separate issues.

1. The on-line charter school - here I think that everyone can pretty much agree that the State's current laws did not think through virtual schools both in terms of geography and cost of schooling. Change is needed today!

2. Charter Schools generally - here we part company. The cost per student of educating students in Teaneck's charter school is actually lower than the cost in the regular public schools. In addition, the funding of the charter school is a pretty small part of Teaneck's overall budget and its overall impact is much lower than the stream of BoE attacks on the school over the years would suggest.

3. Cuts in music, drama and the AV department - the problem here is not lack of funding. We are one of the best funded districts in the state. The issue here are priorities. Last year the BoE initially proposed outsourcing custodial services. Then the BoE relented and did not outsource after the union agreed to relatively modest cuts. With this move, Teaneck gave up over $600,000 in projected savings. I assume that would more than cover drama, music, AV and several other programs that would enhance the quality of education. It is about priorities - do you want music, drama and an AV team or among the highest paid custodians in the state?
Maybe that should be the subject of a town hall meeting.

Is anyone bothered by the fact that the Superintendent and school board have waged a private war, with public monies, against citizens who are exercising their right to open a public charter school, as authorized by NJ law and has upheld twice by the State supreme court, and which, in all but a handful of cases, demonstrate superior educational quality, provide needed options for children that do not all learn and approach education the same way, and support parents' rights to make fundamental choices in their child's education? Does it bother anyone that no one from this proposed charter school was invited to answer questions or participate? Is fear really becoming of a sophisticated and gentile community like Teaneck that prides itself on a diverse, open-minded community?

Technology has changed and improved how we do everything today - except educate our children. I think letting Teaneck and other NJ families have the option to use online schools is a great idea. Regular classrooms don't work for every child. If you don't want your children to attend the online school, don't sign them up! It's just another public school option. NJ is way behind other states in this. Seems like the fighting so far is over funding, which is a state legislative issue, not a flaw of this proposed school per se. Let the law makers figure out the funding. Meanwhile, I for one, would like to hear more about how this proposed online charter school would work. I agree it's too bad they won't be at tonight's meeting - missed opportunity.

We would have loved to join today’s discussion at the Teaneck High School to address the public’s questions as it related to the GSVCS. Unfortunately, we were not invited to join tonight’s forum. In the very near future, the GSVCS will be hosting a public forum, open to all NJ residents to learn more about our program and to address some of the misinformation that has been provided to many by the Teaneck School District. Ms. Barbara Pinsak, the Teaneck Superintendent, will be invited to join our forum as well.

It should be noted that our board has sent Ms. Pinsak a letter earlier this month that should have alleviated all the fears being expressed from her office. Had Ms. Pinsak accepted our board’s positions and assurances, as detailed in said letter, the Teaneck School District could have saved thousands of taxpayer’s dollars being used to spread fearful messages. I feel that money would have been better used on various services and programs for Teaneck’s children.

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We believe all residents of New Jersey have a right to be fully informed about our program, WHICH WILL BE STATEWIDE, how the program works, its CURRICULUM AND LEARNING APPROACHES, the data related to students who have been in similar programs in many other states and the amount and source of funds needed for said charter school program. This information will be available shortly on our website and in much greater detail at our forum.

The GSVCS is about providing New Jersey parents another option to use for educating their children. Each child requires a different setting that optimizes his or her potential. For some families, the current options in New Jersey do not optimize the full potential their child may have.

Looking forward to meeting you at our public forum and answering all your questions.

Is this what's in store for Teaneck and NJ as a whole?

http://www.kunc.org/post/k12-inc-public-online-schools-private-profits

When do the voters instead of the bureaucrats at the NJ Department of Education get a say in how our tax dollars are spent?

"At a time when public schools are seeing deep cuts in funding, there’s a growing market for companies running online elementary, middle and high schools. The largest for-profit company overseeing these programs in Colorado is Virginia-based company K12 Inc. While public schools are struggling to survive, K12 Inc.—with the support of state tax dollars—is reporting double digit profits. Meantime, it’s not measuring up to state academic standards."