Closure of Nevada charter school hurts students, parents

The Review-Journal’s Oct. 8 editorial “Accountability: Failing charter school shut down” asserts the Nevada State Public Charter School Authority’s action to close Nevada Virtual Academy’s elementary school means students will go to “different, better-performing schools.”

In reality, many impacted families were left to return to poorly rated schools. And is it really a “success” when a state agency kicks kids out of their school of choice and forces them back into schools they fled?

Think about that. And then consider that parents often choose online charter schools for nonacademic reasons — social and emotional issues and health reasons, for instance. Parents view a school’s standardized tests results as secondary (if they matter at all) when their children are bullied or have medical challenges or special needs that can’t be met in traditional classrooms. But let’s force them back anyway, says the authority, because … well, star ratings and accountability.

Empowering the state to overrule the decisions parents make for their children is the opposite of freedom.

It’s even worse considering the authority — created by lawmakers to expand charter schooling — is decreasing charter opportunities. Nevada is a big, rural state where few charters exist and where online schools often represent the only charter schools families can access.

The charter school movement’s first principle was to provide students options and empower parents with the freedom to choose. It’s gone badly off course.