Charter school should be a local decision

I read the front page article with the headline "Charter school renewal an error." It seems a judge from Cook County, found in favor of a lawsuit that could lead to the closing of the school. Woodland Elementary of Gurnee initiated the lawsuit.

First, I don't see how it is any business of Woodland, other than they hope they will get the funds if the Charter school is shut down. Very nice community ethics there!

What exactly is a Cook County judge doing ruling on a local Lake County issue?

District President Mark Vondracek said the district had not raised the level of low-income and other at-risk student. As I pointed out the last time this came up, schools are supposed to be local, and should reflect the diversity of the local community.

Busing in outside students isn't going to help either those bussed or those who have non-community students being forced into the situation.

This is about money for Gurnee schools, a particularly cynical move in my opinion, and the freedom of children to go to their local school with the children who live in the community.

One other actor in this cynical and misplaced effort is that of a retired judge from East St. Louis who is on the Illinois State Charter School Commission. He voted against the renewal, and criticized Prairie Crossing for "lack of diversity."

Local control for local schools, Children attending schools in close adjacency to their homes should be a guiding principle. This is more about class warfare, and division of us as peoples than about education and what is best for young children just starting out on their lives of learning.

Mark Scales

Libertyville