A must-read exposé published on “Scandal” producer Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland: The Truth About Charter Schools
Some highlights:
“ But I soon realized there was a gulf between charter school hype and reality. Every day brought shocking and disturbing revelations: high attrition rates of students and teachers, dangerous working conditions, widespread suspensions, harassment of teachers, violations against students with disabilities, nepotism, and fraud. By the end of the school year, I vowed never to step foot in a charter school again, and to fight for the protection of public schools like never before.”
“When a heat wave scorched the city, temperatures in our classrooms topped 102 degrees. Two kids collapsed of heat exhaustion during the school day, but teachers were kept for an additional hour after class to plan "Spirit Day," where we’d perform cartwheels, electric slides, and chicken dances the next afternoon.”
“While I never had strong feelings about unions before, I now understand that when teachers aren’t unionized, they’re exploited — and when teachers suffer, so do kids.”