Petersburg forum looks at charter schools [Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va.]

Aug. 31--PETERSBURG, Va. -- PETERSBURG -- Kevin Brown stated it bluntly.

"This is about our kids; this is about our future," he said.

Brown, whose children attend Petersburg schools, spoke as a panelist last night at a community forum on charter schools held at Appomattox Regional Governor's School. Rather than taking sides, he wanted to make sure the city's children don't get lost in the political battle around charter schools. He stressed parental and community involvement as the key to future success in the classroom.

"Charter school or no charter school, get involved with the school system and make a difference," he said. "It's easy to talk about how bad the school system is; it's difficult for you to step into the school system and make a difference."

Petersburg is a political battlefield for charter schools after years of low student achievement. In June, Gov. Bob McDonnell spoke of his desire to open more charter schools in the state, including one in Petersburg.

The school system has struggled for years with low student achievement. None of the city's schools made Adequate Yearly Progress based on 2009-10 Standards of Learning testing, and preliminary data show that four of seven schools will be accredited this year.

State Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson said the discussion is about more than why charter schools don't work but why student achievement is important.

"At the end of the day, what we're doing with our public school system is preparing people for quality education to get a quality job with a quality salary and have a quality standard of life," Robinson said. "That's what we want to make sure we do."

The forum was held by the Committee to Save Public Education, a coalition of Petersburg-area residents, civic leaders and clergy who want quality education for all children.

Nearly 100 people turned out for the forum. Several members of the Petersburg School Board attended but did not participate in the forum.

State Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, D-Richmond, said the forum was about informing the community about charter schools and that if one opens in Petersburg, it will because it is the will of the community and not under pressure from the governor.

"If a charter school is implemented in Petersburg, that decision should be made with full and open discussion" from residents and the Petersburg School Board, said Marsh, who is a staunch opponent of charter schools.

The Petersburg-based Exodus Institute submitted an application to the Virginia Board of Education last year to start a charter school in Petersburg. Exodus will make revisions to its application and resubmit it to the state board early next year. No formal application has been submitted to the Petersburg School Board.

Julian Greene, past president of Petersburg chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and a panelist at the forum, is against starting a charter school in Petersburg.

"We can't afford to be used as an experimental tool for the governor," he said.

Contact Jeremy Slayton at (804) 649-6861 or [email protected].

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