Opposing the False Dichotomy of "School Choice"

I oppose many current examples of "School Choice." It is a cardinal principle of our democracy that the rights of individuals must be limited at the point at which they infringe upon the rights of others.

I am against some charter schools choosing to strangle public schools.

If "school choice" implies the interests of a privileged 3% trump the interests of 97% of our truly public-school children statewide, then, yes, I am against "school choice."

I am against some charter operatives portraying themselves as the benefactor of the disadvantaged at the same time as they either operate at great profit or pay their managers salaries near a half a million dollars.

I am against some charter schools choosing to push aside public-school students in order to move into public space for free.

I am against the choice of some well-endowed charter schools to create luxurious spaces for their children rent-free while the public-school children are afforded second-class citizenship in the very same buildings.  I sadly imagine the psychological effects upon public-school children.

I am against some charters choosing to EXCLUDE many high-needs students.

I am against some charters choosing to suspend and terminate many students, sometimes for the sake of achieving stellar data.

I am against some charters choosing not to give students equal opportunities.  I am against charter-school "rejects" (sometimes whole cohorts) being tossed back into the public system and hearing some charters then claim that they have better data than the public schools. 

I am against some charters choosing to compare themselves to public schools as they spend huge sums on advertising, co-locate for free and thrive on private resources that allow for small class size, among other amenities.

I am against some charters choosing to mistreat their students by placing them in padded cells and/or humiliating them in other ways.

I am against targeting public schools for closure in the name of choosing to open more charters, playing by an entirely different set of rules and apparently choosing to be freed from state audit. 

I am against some charters choosing to treat their workforce unfairly. 

I am against some charter operatives choosing to use their students as pawns and all but requiring them to protest on cue in Albany when they should be in school learning, as public law dictates. 

I am against some charter operatives choosing to write hefty checks in Albany to help ensure that the wishes of 3% trump the needs of the 97%.

But underlying all of this, I am against the infantile attempts of some charter supporters to frame their debate in terms of "choice."  Any intelligent person knows that one's freedom to choose must face limits at the point at which it injures the public.   Sadly, we have already passed this point.  So, let us CHOOSE to turn back now!