This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

OP-ED: Innovative Charters Are Needed in a Global Age

The author feels that all sides in the charter debate want quality public education for all students, but he stands firmly with the "innovators."

Michael Dahlen is a Maplewood resident and a father of two. His wife, Hope Chernov, is a founding applicant for the Hua Mei Charter School. Dahlen sent this letter to New Jersey Department of Education Acting Commissioner Christopher Cerf.

Dear Commissioner Cerf,

I am writing to you with the humble desire that you remain an objective listener to the passionate arguments both for and against charter schools in high-performing school districts in our state.

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I am an avid supporter of the proposed Mandarin Chinese immersion Hua Mei and Hanyu charter schools, which would serve the Maplewood-South Orange, Milburn-Short Hills, West Orange, Union and Livingston school districts.

I am the husband of one of the founding members of the Hua Mei Charter School and have had firsthand exposure to the desires of these passionate, energetic, innovative people.

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As I’m sure you are aware, these proposed charters have caused much discord and debate in our communities. Most of the debate has been healthy and constructive. A good deal of it has been rancorous and vituperative. Having remained as objective as possible while watching my wife and her colleagues struggle with the intense debate surrounding these charters, I feel it’s my duty to add a voice in support of their efforts to enhance an already thriving scholastic environment.

I’ll not bog you down with the specifics of the debate, as I’m sure you have a firm grasp on the issues driving the arguments on both sides. I do think it’s fair to say that despite the raging battle surrounding these proposed schools, both sides share some common ground, namely a desire that our children enjoy the highest quality education possible from our public school system. My wife and I feel honored to have the good fortune to live in a community where parents take such an active role in the lives and wellbeing of their children. This became immediately obvious when we first visited Maplewood and was the main factor in our decision to relocate there permanently.

We are all aware that the United States is at a crossroads. Our nation is in a period of wrenching adjustment and restoration that has not been experienced since the Great Depression, the end of World War II, and perhaps the Civil Rights era. 

As an educator, I’m sure that you are aware of the vital importance that academics play in the outcome of such periods of change. Times such as these bring out various coping instincts in individuals from all walks of life. Some seek shelter and caution, happy to maintain the status quo. Some ignore the changes, awaiting a return to 'normalcy.'

And some boldly attempt to forge new, innovative ways to ensure the vitality of the next generation despite the difficulties of the times. 

I strive to avoid judgment toward any approach. We must all bear life’s trials in our own way. But I am happy to say that I stand firmly behind the innovators. I believe passionately that innovation is the best path to surmounting the challenges that face our nation. And it is innovation that is at the root of the charter school movement in this country and the driving force behind the proposed Hua Mei Charter School. I do believe that such innovation in public education will come from the very school districts in our state that enjoy the label “high performing.”

Globalization dictates that our children will grow up in a world greatly changed from the one we knew in our youth. They will compete in a marketplace that would have seemed implausible to the youth of even the previous generation. To pretend otherwise displays willfull ignorance and is unacceptable.

Schools such as the proposed Mandarin immersion charters will give our children a foundation for an understanding and appreciation of cultures outside our own. My generation grew up in a relatively insular society. Little emphasis was placed on knowing another culture. Learning a language was offered as an elective for those who cared to know. Today an expansive world view is a matter of necessity for our children. Their opportunities in life will be limited if we allow otherwise. Our public schools will have to take this to heart and soon if our nation hopes to continue to send leaders into the world. Additionally, it is well documented that learning a second language is of great benefit to the cognitive development of young minds, as I’m sure you know. I want a public school system that recognizes this and gives our children every opportunity for success in life.

We need spirited, progressive thinking by people devoted to bringing our school systems into the Global Age. I’m proud to say that the founders of the Hua Mei Charter School are these very people. The constant refrain in the meetings of the founders has been, “We agree that our schools are good. But they can be better still!”

These people have tirelessly sacrificed countless hours working out the best approach to what they envision as a new level for our scholastic curriculum. It has been thrilling to watch this group of people work to navigate the intricacies of bringing their vision for this school to reality. Once it is approved there can be no doubt that this energy will increase exponentially as they work to create a school environment that will quickly become the new standard in public early childhood education for these districts. 

Despite the shrill voices opposing the charters, there are an equal if not greater number of people who have expressed a desire for more options and innovation in our public schools. There is little doubt in my mind that the Hua Mei Charter School, should it be approved, would be in great and immediate demand.

Best regards and thank you for your time,

— Michael Dahlen, Maplewood, New Jersey

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