I don't like the idea of a quality, free education for *some* kids that passes over the kids who need it more - the kids whose parents didn't know about applying, the kids who werent' randomly selected in the lottery, the kids who moved to Somerville in the middle of t he year, the kids who can walk to school and don't have a way to get to the charter school locations. I like the idea of a quality, free education for *all* kids, and if this proposal happens I think it will be a much longer, much more uphill battle to get that for our kids in Somerville. I really think what this proposal has to offer is NOT dramatically idfferent from the quality, free education that is already been offered in our schools - in fact, I believe it is weaker in many of the areas it proposes to be stronger in. The one already offered in our schools is the one I chose, and the one I plan to work hard over the next 18 years for.

I'm not overall against charters, and I think PHA is serving a useful purpose in our community, even though the math hurts our school budget in a similar way. But I don't think our school budget can actually support two charter schools without really hurting the existing elementary schools, and I think there is a way to create more options for kids without this particular charter at this particular time.