Online charter-school debate: Influential Ky. leaders recognizing that BIPPS is about policy, not political shouting matches

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One of the first editorials written by the Louisville Courier-Journal about the Bluegrass Institute not long after we opened our doors in 2003 sought to marginalize us by labeling us as a “right-wing propaganda mill.”

We, of course, have often proved them wrong, the latest example being a new published online debate concerning an issue that has received a lot of attention in the Legislature but that many Kentuckians remain unsure – and, more importantly, uninformed – about: public charter schools.

The debate has received attention from the National Association of Public Charter Schools, Kentucky Charter Schools Association and even center-left groups in the Bluegrass State, including Kentucky Youth Advocates. KYA executive director Terry Brooks, who has long championed children’s issues, recognized the institute’s success in achieving “civil discourse” with this debate while also restating his support for parents to have public-education options:

Despite bi-partisan support for public charter schools at the national level, there is a distinct lack of civil discourse about what public charter schools could do for children in Kentucky. That is why a current effort to bring transparency to the pros and cons of charter schools by the Bluegrass Institute is so commendable. Now folks surely know that there are more than a few issues around which we at Kentucky Youth Advocates disagree with the Bluegrass Institute folks – and, on the other hand, there are other issues, like government transparency, in which we are in enthusiastic agreement. In a lot of ways, the Bluegrass Institute is practicing what they preach on transparency.

Dr. Wayne Lewis – a current University of Kentucky professor – and Dr. Marty Solomon – a former University of Kentucky professor – present countervailing arguments in a new published online debate over charter schools. Regardless of what you think about charter schools, the Bluegrass Institute’s noble effort around civil discourse is something that I encourage everyone to check out.

Due diligence demands that I share that Kentucky Youth Advocates as an organization and I personally strongly support public education and that is exactly why I believe that the time for high quality charter school legislation has arrived.

Not only was the Courier-Journal wrong about the Bluegrass Institute, it’s been consistently on the wrong side of the fence when it comes to public charter schools. I bet even Terry Brooks would say so.