Why is school choice not a Democratic issue?

[LWolf]

93. They belong to the same union.

That doesn't mean that the union doesn't get bullied into signing off on what the district wants when the district supports charters over regular schools. And our elected school board does. We really need more liberal Democrats to run for local school boards. Of course, in red areas they might have a hard time getting elected. A catch-22.

Resources for the families of the kids are just as important, of course, but that issue doesn't fall under public education. In my region, we do have the "Family Access Network," which funds a part-time employee to connect with families and help them get what they need. That can include school supplies, clothes, food, glasses, medical care, and transportation to any appointments. They are a vital part of what we do, and I wish all states and districts had that resource. It's a start.

Innovation? Sure. Charter schools seem to offer it because they don't follow the same rules we do. We are leashed by top-down "reforms" designed around standardized testing. The narrowing of the curriculum, the teaching to the test...it doesn't allow for any innovation that doesn't involve turning students into data bits on a chart. The right kind of support would abolish corporate reform.

Smaller classes? Teachers have been saying this for decades. Nobody wants to pay for it. That's on the general public, who need to demand it.

What makes Howard County different?