DOLLARS AND SENSE CAUSE FOR HOPE
In response to Chris Maag's article "Schoolyard Fight" [January 28], I find it sad that politics play a part in all areas of Cleveland life. As a parent of a HOPE Academy student, I believe the attacks of Rich DeColibus are unfair and motivated by something less than an interest in supplying children with the best education possible.
We chose the HOPE Academy-Lincoln Park
campus as an alternative to Cleveland schools. While the district may be
improving, there are just too many problems associated with it and its
long history of failure for us to entrust our child to it. HOPE offers
an alternative to parochial schools, which are rapidly closing in urban
areas and have a religious influence some families might object to.
Yes, HOPE Academy is a work in progress. It takes more than a year or
two to undo years of inadequate education. Time is needed to judge
whether charter schools will be more or less successful than public
schools.
It is one thing to be critical of charter schools, but it is entirely
different to try and sabotage them. DeColibus and the union are
motivated by the $5,000 they lose per child who goes to HOPE. If the
union leaders, the district, and the teachers had worried more about the
students in the first place, maybe charter schools would not be an
attractive alternative.
Brian M. Anderson
Cleveland
Originally printed in the February 18, 2004
issue of the Cleveland Scene.
Copyright (c) 2004. New
Times. All Rights Reserved.