yes, yes! the national association for the advancement of colored people is exactly correct to oppose the expansion of charter schools (<u+201c> the naacp<u+2019>s disgrace ,<u+201d> review & outlook, oct. 17). i am a retired teacher of 30-plus years and i think we need serious consideration and monitoring of charter schools, especially for african-american students. why are school boards across the u.s. incorporating a competing educational system within their own districts? why not work on making the public schools in their districts the very best? many charter schools are organized by those who can put a good package together, but often have unqualified personnel. the image of public schools is so bad that parents are psyched that any school is better than public schools, leading parents into misconceptions and untruths which cause their children to suffer. don<u+2019>t use the teachers unions as an excuse for charter schools. the unions protect the teachers<u+2019> rights. janice m. lee granada hills, calif. it seems the naacp has eliminated the <u+201c>advancement<u+201d> from its focus. its national board voted to ratify a resolution calling for a moratorium on the expansion of charter schools. bending to the clintons and the teachers unions seems to come ahead of the naacp<u+2019>s moral purpose. public education is to blame for the lack of inner-city kids<u+2019> job skills, and yet the naacp doesn<u+2019>t support charter schools. i guess the board is interested in political access. maybe donald trump is correct about the democrats and their friends doing nothing for minorities who are caught in the never-ending cycle of poverty, driven in part by poor education. tom price satellite beach, fla. i<u+2019>m a veteran educator and have taught in inner-city public and charter schools. charter schools foment the dire need for competition that will either improve public schools or continue to prove them a hindrance to those attending them and finally make failing public schools go away. the naacp, clearly beholden to the teachers unions<u+2019> money, should instead listen to its core constituency<u+2014>the parents of the children attending those failing public schools. the teachers unions are a de facto wing of the democratic party, not unlike the naacp. unfortunately, none of these entities have the best interest of students as their first priority. by these groups maintaining control over their ranks and putting the preservation of their power ahead of the better education the children deserve, too many children become educationally impoverished adults beholden to these groups. the competitive alternative<u+2014>something these groups fear<u+2014>will lead to an eventual loss of their power, money and jobs. sanford d. horn westfield, ind. you<u+2019>re right to decry the naacp<u+2019>s sellout of black children through its opposition to charter schools. talk about a mind being a terrible thing to waste! the naacp<u+2019>s brainless opposition to charter schools, where success is under way in saving black children from educational malaise and the wasteland of lousy public schools is inexplicable unless one knows the undue influences on naacp policy from the organized-labor-dominated board of directors and leadership tier. but it<u+2019>s wrong to view the plainly anticharter school resolution as coming from the naacp<u+2019>s grass-roots membership. the naacp<u+2019>s criticism and opposition to charter schools represent the uninformed view of its leadership. the truth is that resolutions that reach the floor and are voted on at the annual conventions are deeply vetted and already have the support of the naacp<u+2019>s leadership. michael meyers executive director new york civil rights coalition new york mr. meyers is a former assistant national director of the naacp.
the naacp votes to limit choice for blacks - wsj
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