The Case Against Charter Schools

Just for giggles, I told ChatGPT to generated a blog post for me. The specific assignment was to “write an essay for a general reader about how charter schools damage public schools”. Here’s what it spit out.

Charter schools are publicly funded schools that operate independently of traditional school district oversight. While they were initially created as a way to provide more options and improve educational outcomes for students, there is growing evidence that charter schools are having a negative impact on traditional public schools.

One of the main ways that charter schools damage public schools is through the diversion of funding. Charter schools are funded by public tax dollars, but they are not subject to the same regulations and oversight as traditional public schools. This means that they can often operate with fewer resources, while traditional public schools are left to struggle with budget cuts and overcrowded classrooms.

Another way that charter schools damage public schools is through the creation of a two-tiered educational system. Charter schools often have more autonomy and flexibility than traditional public schools, which means that they can cherry-pick the best students and offer specialized programs that are not available in traditional public schools. This creates an uneven playing field and can lead to a lack of diversity and integration in the public school system.

Additionally, charter schools can also damage public schools by creating a negative feedback loop. When charter schools take students away from traditional public schools, it can lead to a decline in enrollment, which in turn can lead to budget cuts and staff layoffs. This can create a cycle of decline that is difficult to break, and can lead to the closure of traditional public schools in low-income and minority communities.

Finally, some charter schools are also known to be less accountable to the public than traditional public schools. They are not subject to the same rules and regulations, and they are not held to the same standards of transparency and accountability. This can lead to a lack of oversight and can also make it difficult for parents and community members to hold charter schools accountable for poor academic performance or other issues.

In conclusion, while charter schools were created with the intention of improving educational outcomes for students, there is growing evidence that they are having a negative impact on traditional public schools. They divert funding, create a two-tiered educational system, can cause a negative feedback loop, and can be less accountable to the public. It’s important that policymakers carefully consider the potential negative effects of charter schools on public schools before expanding their numbers.

End of bot speak.

Ok, so I guess the results include most of the arguments I would have made, even if the prose seems to lack an authentic voice. Certainly it doesn’t contain any of the snark I would have layered into the mix. Count that as good or bad as you see fit.

AI is likely here to stay, no matter how much schools would like to ban it, and will get “better”, however you define that. We may as well play with it and learn as much as we can about our new algorithmic overlords.

For the image at the top, I went to another AI bot from the same project as ChatGBT that deals with images. I instructed DALL-E to generate a “dilapidated school building in the style of Charles Addams”. Not what I expected, and I’m not even sure if that’s a photograph of a real place.