Sitting in a school board meeting a few months ago, I watched a fascinating back-and-forth between board members over charter schools. It was approximately Episode No. 45,563,804 in the district’s ongoing political battle over the publicly funded, privately managed schools, and the two sides were — as is often the case — largely talking past each other.
Each side in the debate has a powerful critique of the other. For charter advocates, the status quo is simply indefensible: Too many Nashville students are not performing at grade level. For district-school advocates, the unabated growth of charter schools restricts the district’s ability to put more resources into other programs.
Both arguments are compelling. Both hold water. At that moment, a thought struck me: What if everybody has a point? What if the arguments that both sides are hurling at each other have a firm basis in reality?
Consider these four things: (continue reading at NashvilleScene.com)