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Americans weigh in on education
A classroom at Harlem Success Academy, a free, public elementary charter school in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City.
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So far, the Republican National Convention keynote speeches have featured plenty of talk on jobs and the deficit. Something a little more surprising, maybe, has been the emphasis on teachers and schools.
Gallup just this month surveyed Americans on their opinions about the education system. So let's take that on for today's "Attitude Check." It's our weekly partnership with Gallup, and editor in chief Frank Newport.
He says charter schools did very well in the poll. Sixty percent of Americans said charter schools provide a good or excellent education. Only 37 percent of Americans gave the same high marks to public schools.
Republicans tend to push for alternatives to public education. Republicans favored homeschooling 16 percent more than Democrats did. They are 13 percent less likely than Democrats to say that public schools do a good job.
I must say that Gallup is risking its integrity with that poll. 60% of people like charters. Charters are widely used in Republican states but in Democratic states, the charters are being used by affluent developers to gentrify urban areas. Urban schools are targeted for charters as a way to supplant equal opportunity and access and segregating poor and minority children into schools that receive less funding. So, in Third Way corporate democratic states like Maryland and New York most families in charters are minority and poor. Now, I know Gallup polls by phone and I know that these poor families are not listed on call lists so the people in Maryland and New York may like charter schools but not for the education, but for the segregation....just like Republicans. Meanwhile the under-served having to attend charters will tell you they want their public schools back! So the polling doesn't give a nod for better education. I'm going to give that article 3 pinnochios. That isn't journalism.....that is a Gates Foundation nod to charter schools. Conflict of interest is not allowed in public media!
