Why humanist communities should embrace charter schools.

Education is a human right. As a society we are obligated to provide a quality education to all children equally and to provide this education free of charge. As Humanists we are understandably concerned with the quality of education provided to the young people in our society, and so we support the public school system and are very interested in improving the quality of the schools in every district--especially in areas that are economically disadvantaged.

There are numerous initiatives to "improve" the public school system. Some are better than others. One of these is the establishment of charter schools. Charter schools are public schools of choice. They aren't voucher schools or private schools. To support a charter school is to support the public school system. As supporters of the public school system, Humanists should not only be supporting public charter schools but creating such schools. And while many Humanists are rightly cautious about the efficacy of such schools, we must recognize that, as a community, we have a choice. We can choose to complain about the current state of affairs and not accomplish anything or we can choose to participate in this public school initiative and actively work to make things better.

The Florida legislature approved charter schools in 1996. Since that time charter schools have grown in popularity with more than 300 now serving over 80,000 students in the state. Charter schools provide parents and students with a choice of public schools, effectively creating competition within the public school system that stimulates improvement in all public schools. They also bring outside resources into a school system to expand the capacity of a school district to create innovative schools in underserved areas.

Public school choice is extremely popular. Charters are now an established feature of the public education system that isn't going to go away. By participating in a charter school initiative, we Humanists can accomplish three very important objectives:

In keeping with the policy of the Humanist to accommodate the diverse cultural, social, political, and philosophical viewpoints of its readers, this occasional feature allows for the expression of alternative, dissenting, or opposing views on issues of importance to Humanists.

1. We can put our money where our mouth is. If we advocate supporting public education, we should do so actively. By volunteering and donating funds to create an innovative public charter school, we are actively supporting the public schools. Again, we can choose to complain, or we can choose to act to make things better.

2. We can demonstrate how a well-run school should operate. By creating a charter school, we can provide a tangible example of what a quality Humanist education is. What better way is there to encourage the public school system to enact the reforms we seek than by establishing a public school that integrates those reforms?

3. We can expand the Humanist movement. By involving ourselves in the public school system we not only provide a quality school for underserved students we are also building a physical presence for Humanism in a community and creating an income stream that can be used to further the growth of our movement.

The Humanist movement shouldn't underestimate this third benefit. Our primary goal is obviously to provide a quality education to underserved students. But by creating a charter school, we will also have a facility that can be used for afterschool programs, day care, group meetings, and other functions. The same facility we use for a school can and should be used as a Humanist community center--a much-needed addition to Humanist outreach if we are to serve our growing movement adequately.

Additionally, sponsors of charter schools receive compensation from the schools for their services as the managing organization; this is what provides an incentive to "for-profit" corporations to become involved with charter schools. And while Humanists are inclined to receive only minimal compensation from our charter schools to ensure that as much money as possible is put into the education of our students, this does represent a small but regular income source for sponsoring organizations. What could a Humanist group accomplish if it had an extra $10,000 to $50,000 a year? And what if it operated three such schools, or fifteen? The possibilities are endless and it's easy to see why religious entities have already embraced charter schools.

Admittedly, charter schools aren't without drawbacks. They do represent the privatization of a public service--something that most Humanists, myself included, are generally opposed to. But unlike the privatization of health care in the prisons--where once a contract is awarded there is no competition and little oversight of the services provided--charter schools are highly competitive, are tightly regulated by the school districts by which they are chartered, and are free to the parents and students who choose to attend such schools. If a charter school is mismanaged or fails to provide a quality education, not only can parents move their offspring to another school but the school districts can also revoke the charter, as has already been done in some cases.

The main reason why a charter school might fail is because of the fiscal mismanagement of the school itself. A smaller number of schools are closed because they don't improve student achievement. A Humanist-run charter school shouldn't encounter either problem. They would be run ethically, compassionately, and engagingly for students. If Humanists choose to embrace charter schools--and they should--Humanist schools would exemplify what a well-run school should be.

The Humanists of Florida Association has opened the first Humanist-run charter school in the United States. Known as the Carl Sagan Academy, the school operates in an economically disadvantaged neighborhood of Tampa, Florida. The primary reason for selecting Sagan as an inspirational namesake was the late scientist's commitment to science, literacy, rational thinking, and democratic ideals. The Carl Sagan Academy is committed to providing a quality education that advances the tools of science while advocating the merits and expectations of citizenship in a participatory democracy.

The Humanists of Florida Association didn't embark on this initiative without ample consideration. Members are well aware of the potential problems that charter schools can encounter and are also committed to supporting the public schools. We recognize, however, that, while we debate, charter schools are gaining in popularity and religious organizations are already actively involved in establishing their own charters. Humanists had a choice: to sit on the sidelines and complain, hoping that someone else would create the schools we want, or get involved and create a public charter school representative of the education we want. We Florida Humanists chose to act. And by doing so, we aren't only providing a quality public school for underserved youth in Tampa but building a tangible presence for Humanism in a community that was previously unaware of our philosophy but are now excited by our outlook and approach to education. Additionally, we are bringing in new resources to help fuel the further growth of our movement.

Charter schools represent an excellent opportunity for Humanists to actively improve public education. The benefits a Humanist education offers to the communities in which we live is reason enough to get involved. The benefits our movement will receive by creating such schools are many and valuable. Should Humanists embrace charter schools? Absolutely.

Jennifer Hancock has a degree in cognitive linguistics from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. A human rights advocate since youth, her primary focus as a volunteer has been toward abolition of the death penalty. She currently serves as executive director for the Humanists of Florida Association.