Are charter schools/vouchers detrimental to the American educational system - Essay Example

Charter schools have actually strengthened the American education system as they enjoy many unique features and attributes that are not found in the regular public schools. Charter schools offer a highly personalized approach towards education where the learning and teaching styles are customized and modified to suit the unique requirements and expectations of each and every student (Charter Schools USA, 2010). So far, the public schools have failed to come to terms with the fact that each and every student is unique and may have pedagogical requirements very different from other students.

Charter schools conduct regular assessments to tailor their approach as per the specific students affiliated to them. It goes without saying that the students tend to respond better to learning approaches when they are approved and monitored by the adults who are responsible for them. Charter schools do allow for a greater parental involvement in the academic life of their wards (Charter Schools USA, 2010). Charter schools encourage parents to participate as volunteers in the overall academic process and learning initiatives.

Besides charter schools offer a Student Information System (SIS), which is a digitally managed information base into which the parents can log into to monitor the progress of their children as well as to access the feedback pertaining to their children (Charter Schools USA, 2010). This provision allows the parents to react in time and to talk to their children regarding the academic issues being faced by them. Charters schools have a dress code policy as per which the students are required to wear a school uniform (Charter Schools USA, 2010).

This uniform instills a sense of pride in the students studying in chartered schools. It is also a fact that in the contemporary times, students do get distracted by peripheral issues like clothes, style and fashion, which inhibits them from participating wholeheartedly in their academic life. However, by pursuing a dress code and uniform policy, charter schools have done away with such distractions. Hence the students at charter schools can dedicate themselves to their studies, without getting distracted by useless issues like designer labels and fashion statements.

Charter schools have indeed bolstered the American education system by offering a student specific approach to education and assuring timely parental participation. Charter schools are indeed great assets for the American society. Part II: Anti-thesis Charter schools flouted as a great asset to the American education system are vulnerable to varied flaws and discrepancies that are not only detrimental to the American education system, but do also have the potential to harm the academic prospects of the students affiliated to them.

In fact, charter schools have done much to weaken the American education system. As charter schools are state funded, they wean away the public schools of funding that if well spent could actually revolutionize the American Education system (Buckley & Schneider, 2007). It is a known fact that the greatest lacuna marring the public schools today is a contraction and dilution of the required and necessary state funding. Charter schools further contribute to this problem by stealing funds that could otherwise be allocated to the public schools.

It is a widely known fact that many a times the charter schools