CONWAY — The town of Conway is the latest to consider the perspective of Save Our Public Schools, an organization created to oppose charter school expansion during a Selectboard meeting recently.
“It’s not about demonizing parents for the choices they make for their kids,” said Diane Jensen-Olszewski, a representative from the organization and retired educator.
“If it were to pass, we would get 12 new schools per year,” she continued, “which doesn’t sound like a lot, but that’s written into perpetuity. We have the potential to have literally hundreds more.”
During her presentation, Jensen-Olszewski said one particularly dangerous aspect is that charter schools don’t have elected committees, which means a lack of public accountability.
She also said charter schools don’t serve underprivileged students like supporters of the schools say they do.
Selectboard members indicated they intend to put support for the organization to a public vote during the next town meeting.
Presentations have also been made to officials of a few other South County towns and school committees, including Sunderland, Deerfield and Whately.
You can reach Andy Castillo
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