Interview about charter schools on Good Day NY

From Good Day NY this morning:

Check out the link for the interview with the Chancellor that preceded my interview.


Charter School Debate:Chancellor Klein and Parents Weigh In
By: KATHY CARVAJAL


A decision about sharing space among charter and public schools in New York City is expected on Wednesday night.

Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is facing backlash from parents who say their children are being shortchanged by adding charter schools.

Speaking with Good Day NY on Wednesday, Klein said he wished there was more space to avoid co-locations.

"I wish we had a lot more space in New York City. About 500-600 schools share space. But we need to share the space fairly among all 1.1 million students. We need to give parents hope and opportunity," Klein told Good Day NY Co-Host Rosanna Scotto.

Opponents like Leonie Haimson who represents the non-profit organization Class Size Matters says public school students are being shortchanged.

"Parents see it like charters schools have invaded their public school space. (Charter schools) have taken away libraries, classrooms and intervention spaces," said Haimson during Good Day NY on Wednesday.

Charter schools- or schools operated independently of the local school board- are often run by politically connected individuals and educate the most elite of children, said Haimson.
"Sometimes a school year in and year out doesn't do the work... the Obama administration has said we should be closing five percent of our schools," said Klein.

The bottom line, said Haimson, is to "let the parents decide.. it's our children... if you put this up to a vote among all the parents including charter school parents you'd realize the co-locations are extremely unpopular."