By Steve Gunn
EAGnews.org

FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Most community battles over proposed charter schools pit charter management companies and concerned parents against local school boards and teachers unions.

Parents generally want more educational choices, while school boards and unions want to trap as many students as possible so they can keep as much state aid as possible.

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But the current battle in Fairfax County, Virginia over the proposed establishment of the Fairfax Leadership Academy is pitting public school teachers against each other.

The proposed charter school, which would serve at-risk teens in grades 7-12, is the brainchild of local high school teacher Eric Welch and several fellow educators. Surprisingly they have the support of the Fairfax County Federation of Teachers, the local teachers union.

Charter schools typically hire non-union teachers and usually draw automatic opposition from the unions.

Opponents of the charter school include a committee of Fairfax County Public Schools staff, who question whether the school will have enough operation revenue to properly function. A group of residents have also signed a petition opposing the charter school, claiming it would siphon funds from the county school district that could be used for necessary renovations to schools.

The Fairfax County Board of Education will vote on the charter school later this month. If approved, it will open Aug. 12, 2013. The Fairfax Leadership Academy would only be Virginia’s fifth charter school.

Supporters and opponents of the proposed school faced off Tuesday in a special hearing to discuss the issue.

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While opponents note that the local school district already has a special program to serve at-risk youth, Welch argues that too many students fall through the cracks of that limited effort.

He wants to address the needs of many at-risk students with longer school days and a longer school year, small class sizes, “wrap around” services for students and their families, and individualized and workplace-oriented learning.

The charter school proposal has drawn the support of the Virginia Board of Education, several state lawmakers and the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce.

“We fall short when it comes to having flexible models with which to educate our students,” said parent Kristine Adams. “Too many fall through the cracks.”

But some opponents said the charter school would steal resources needed by Fairfax County schools for renovations, and questioned the appropriateness of the charter school’s proposed location in a former elementary school that needs many repairs.

We believe the concerns of those who oppose the charter school tend to be self-serving. Charter schools naturally draw some students and state aid money away from traditional government schools. Fewer students and less money usually mean less demand for so many teachers and administrators.

Nobody wants to lose their job.

But students and families deserve as many educational options as possible, and it sounds as though Virginia has very little in the way of school choice opportunities.

Traditional schools should use the establishment of charter schools as an incentive to sharpen and improve their services. Parents will be less likely to use charter schools if they are happy with the education their kids are receiving in traditional  schools.

Job security for teachers and administrators in traditional schools cannot be considered legitimate concerns in the charter debate. The needs of students must come first, and if Fairfax County schools have to downsize a bit to allow the academic needs of all students to be met, so be it.