1. In our April issue, writer Hugh Jackson examined the funding of corporate charter schools in Nevada. That essay earned him an appearance on the April 28 segment of the Vegas PBS show Ralston Live, which was devoted to charters. (Watch it at vegaspbs.org.) But it also brought us a tart note from a reader named Andrea Noonoo:
“Many people have no understanding of the purpose or operation of charter schools, and many don’t even know of their existence. Unfortunately, the essay ‘Chartered Cruise,’ by Hugh Jackson in the April issue of Desert Companion, did nothing to add to their knowledge of this subject. This biased article presented, without statistics, a slanted view of one segment of charter schools. There was no mention of the schools formed by educators committed to serving all students or of the schools sponsored by CCSD. These schools are public charters, not corporate. They must adhere to the same requirements as all publicly funded schools. This includes the licensing of their teachers, the use of approved curriculum, and the transparent reporting of how they utilize their funding. These are the schools that accept all students who apply, like any CCSD school; they serve the students who have not profited from a traditional form of education. They work with students and parents who have chosen to pursue education in a more innovative and often individualized mode. Your readers deserve better. They deserve all of the facts so that they can form an intelligent opinion about this very important topic.”
We agree that charter schools comprise a very important topic, and that it’s vital for Nevadans to understand the issue as thoroughly as possible. However, just to be clear, Jackson’s essay was never meant to be a wide-angle discussion of the whole charter-school situation, nor a guide to their purpose, operation or educational efficiency. It set out to be what it is: a more narrowly focused look at the formation of a publicly funded, corporate charter-school industry in Nevada. Indeed, it’s more about economics and state policy than educating children. It took a small, well-defined but important bite out of a much larger, complex issue. So, yes, it’s true that some charter schools fall outside the scope of Jackson’s analysis — possibly including the local charter school whose website (though not her letter) lists an Andrea Noonoo as a trustee.
2 Reader Howard Watts III on our May road-trip issue: “It was hands-down the best issue of DC I’ve ever read. I know that most months it wouldn’t work, but I love how the road trip really dominated, from the small pieces to the feature journal and even the food section. I’m disappointed that the featured neighborhood was … not Ely or the historic Comstock, but nobody’s perfect. Also, the editor should have halved the number of jerky references.
“I enjoyed the way themes emerged into full-fledged stories, including the plight of craft breweries, the scars of ‘settlement’ on Native Americans and the importance of water. It’s a masterpiece.
“If you ever do another road trip, take a reader. Specifically, me.”