http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_10952138

Increased use of tuition vouchers, charter schools and open enrollment transfers to suburban districts is dropping the student population of Milwaukee public schools dramatically. Over 1/3 of area students no longer attend Milwaukee schools.

This is a key moment to observe for public education. While alternatives to traditional public schools offer many parents options to send their children to schools of their choosing, the reduced population remaining is an opportunity to lower student/teacher ratios in mainstream schools and improve the quality of their education if they are not hamstrung by funding cuts tied to numbers. It seems irrational to further insure the failure of public schools by degrading their programs with financial shortfalls. Legislatures should cut funding as students leave- but not by a full position. Use some of the per pupil savings to fund alternatives, but leave some of the savings behind to improve existing schools.

One exception I would note to my general support of educational alternatives is that of charter schools based on race or ethnicity. There are a disturbing number of schools emerging that unapologetically market themselves as being for and about a particular ethnic, religious or racial group. There's certainly great benefit to encouraging ethnic pride. But to base an entire school on ethnic makeup is also a clear form of self segregation at taxpayer expense.

There are severe drawbacks to such schools. I recently heard a black radio commentator who attended a "TBI" (Traditionally Black Institution) for college, and expressed regret for that decision. He said that he was only exposed to one point of view at that college, and the closed environment also presented students with unrealistic expectations of the world at large. In addition, ethnically based schools for immigrant students, in which the predominant language used is their own native tongue, significantly handicaps students in their learning of the English language and heavily impacts their future educational pursuits and career progress.

On the issue of equity, the facts are clear. We spent untold millions of dollars and used the force of police and military personnel to compel segregated white schools to accept and educate students of color. If we now permit people to create schools that clearly intend to focus their efforts to and about a particular ethnic group, then what argument can be used to deny white parents their right to start and operate all-white oriented schools? It's clearly a step backward, and it needs to stop NOW.