Education: My kids deserve charters' quality

Re: “Rescue charter schools and keep the experiment alive” (editorial, 2-14).

Your editorial really resonated with me. I’m the proud mother of four children, three of whom attend Tacoma charter schools.

We chose public charters because I was really impressed with their college-ready philosophy and individual learning plans. Honestly, I felt like we weren’t getting everything we needed in the public school environment.

My 7-year-old son is enrolled at SOAR Academy; my 11-year-old daughter is at Destiny Middle School; and my oldest son, who is 14, attends Summit Olympus. My children are thriving at their charter schools. Watching this political mess play out in the courts and the Legislature breaks my heart.

My children and I aren’t bargaining chips; we are a real family that deserves great public schools. We need to open more great schools like these, not shut them down.

I beg legislators to please stop playing politics with my children’s’ futures. As a parent, the choice seems simple: Step up for my kids’ right to a great education or shut the doors on their classrooms and their hopes for the future.

This story was originally published March 2, 2016 at 10:54 AM with the headline "Education: My kids deserve charters' quality."