“You are not alone. We will save charter schools.”

That’s New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, speaking at a charter rally in Albany, where there is apprehension about new New York Mayor Bill de Blasio’s skepticism of charters. The New York Times saw this as the latest salvo between the pro-ed reform camp and a growing resistance. Yes, it was that. But it was also something more. It was also the same story we’ve seen in Newark, Philly, New Orleans and will soon see in Camden. Families, educators and communities are protective of their institutions. And for good reason. 

That’s why I love the Cuomo quote. “We will save charter schools” reminds me of Save Camden’s Schools or Save Our Schools New Jersey. It speaks to a policy axis that is a constant in my research in New Orleans, and is all over the education debate as well. Communities rally around their institutions. 

Bits and pieces of this are drifting into the public consciousness. Parents talk here in Camden about having their “history taken away.” Charter Schools in New Orleans and New York have fought over the names of schools, leading to tortured constructions like Success Preparatory Academy at Wicker that wink to a neighborhood’s history. These little fights speak to a much deeper desire by communities to have schools be institutions not factories, a constant presence in a community not a machine pumping out “college-ready” students above all else (focus on college-readiness often comes at the expense of sports, arts, extra-curriculars and many other things communities and students value).

What does it mean for schools to be institutions? 

Glad you asked, and I suspect you already know and take it for granted in your own community. First of all, it means connecting a school to its history. That sounds abstract, but it is very practical. It gives communities a sense of pride and a connection to  alumni, the base for future jobs for many graduates. It gives the school local financial resources (alumni are often the first to rally, or raise money at bake sales or for sports programs). It means that graduating students have a support network and can come back to their old teachers for advice, help with their job search, or emotional support, something that is increasingly important as we see urban students struggle in college. It makes it more likely for teachers and administrators to be from, or familiar with, the community in ways that help them connect to their students, pick culturally appropriate curriculum, and provide the day-to-day support young folks need. 

It fits into a broader theme that I saw directly in New Orleans, and have watched in  Newark, Philadelphia, New York, and now, Camden. Churn is bad for schools. It is bad when teachers turn over, when schools close, and when students are bounced from school to school. It is bad because students, parents and communities all need consistency. Local partnerships depend on trust, and that takes time. If turnover is too high, that trust doesn’t have time to build, and when it’s repeated and systematic, it becomes exceptionally problematic. 

See Teach For America, where the problem of teacher churn, already bad in many urban schools, is systematized. See No Child Left Behind, where schools in low-income, urban neighborhoods are repeatedly targeted for closures (because low-income communities score worse on standardized tests in ways that are hard for schools to make up for, meaning new schools often have the same low scores as the old ones). See the concern over student attrition in charter schools. 

This focus on stability makes so much sense that now, charters are making the same case: 

“You are not alone. We will save charter schools.”

Think about it from a community’s point of view. Communities have already been disrupted, been told that churn was necessary to get to a better place. They have already seen their beloved teachers fired, their school names disappear, and their sports teams become memories. Now, after accepting those changes, they’re protecting their new institutions, in the hope that those will grow to replace the old. 

I think the Albany protests are making the best case against school closures that you could ask for.

Tags: education