James R. Horton: Hiding charter facts

Regarding the Jan. 7 news story “Board delays ‘negative’ charter schools report”: I find it interesting and disconcerting that Lt. Gov. Dan Forest pulled the report on charter schools that was to be presented to the State Board of Education because it was too negative.

Once more, when facts do not agree with the Republicans in our state they find ways to repress those facts. The Republicans, and some Democrats, seem to believe that charter schools, private schools and vouchers are the best way to educate our children while denigrating our public schools.

A few years ago, Stanford University did a study of charter schools that at the time represented approximately 70 percent of students attending in various charter schools and states. Its results: 17 percent of charters exceeded the public schools, 46 percent were the same as the public schools and 37 percent of charters were below the average of local public schools. Not a good result for charter school supporters like our lieutenant governor. Perhaps he is afraid of letting the public know the facts about charters.

This administration has beat our public schools and our teachers to death during its time in office. Perhaps in 2016 we might do away with the “forward” thinking folks like the lieutenant governor and his friends.

This story was originally published January 16, 2016 at 1:00 PM with the headline "James R. Horton: Hiding charter facts."