Progressives created charter schools. It's time to defend them.

My personal attachment to charters is personal, not political.

Two decades ago, I had a choice—a bad choice.

I could send my son to the chaotic middle school our school district assigned him to or find something else. Then, we found Twin Cities Academy, a safe and rigorous charter school. It gave me peace of mind each day as I dropped him off and went to work. Choosing that school wasn’t a commentary on how I felt about our district's public schools. His elementary school was terrific in every way. The teachers loved our kids. It was diverse. They had many enrichment opportunities. And the social life was what a parent hoped for. Great kids, great parents, and educators who love education.

We picked TCA because teachers who loved my kid told me they wouldn't send him to the assigned middle school. I trusted them, and it made me search for other opportunities.

I knew nothing about charter schools and even less about the debates surrounding them. I knew this school allowed my son an opportunity to continue progressing when he needed it most. It wasn’t about undermining traditional schools. It was about doing what any parent would do—giving my child the best chance I could. Sadly, this is a story many parents know too well. Our children’s futures hang on these decisions. We feel the gravity of it all. We are troubled by private thoughts that we might fail as parents to keep our kids on track. I wouldn’t wish that feeling on anyone.

My other children have been in traditional public schools as my family grew. They had many opportunities—advanced courses, sports, and clubs. I saw the good in those schools and still believe in public education. But it’s hard to watch the hate that some people throw at charters and the families who choose them. It’s irrational, and I will never understand it. There’s very little you can say about charters like the one my child attended, and you wouldn’t know about the magnets like the one who turned him away.

Critics say charter schools threaten public education, and they say those who support them want to privatize the system. I can’t speak for others, but that criticism isn’t true of my family. It’s not about breaking the system but finding a way through it when it doesn’t work for everyone.

Charter schools were never meant to replace traditional schools. Conceived by liberals and legislated by Minnesota Democrats to offer families something new and defend public education against private school voucher initiatives. They were meant to add something new and offer different paths, especially for kids who might fall through the systemic sieve of educational justice. Over time, they’ve become part of the public education landscape. They offer an option for families who need them.

While employees of traditional public schools have long criticized charters, I fear they face new threats from the political right—from privatization to becoming religious schools.

There’s a push to start religious charter schools in places like Oklahoma. This blurs the line between public education and spiritual teaching. If these schools open, they could set a dangerous precedent. They could allow charter schools nationwide to discriminate against students based on their beliefs, orientation, or gender. This threatens the separation of church and state—a core principle of American life. Public schools should be for everyone. They should be places where all kids are welcome and treated fairly.

Then there’s the threat of privatization. Privatization risks taking public money and putting it into private pockets. It cuts accountability and could lower the quality of education charter schools offer. For-profit charter schools often get criticized for putting profits before students. They’ve had poor outcomes and haven’t been transparent. If we want charter schools to stay true to their mission, we have to fight these efforts. We need strong rules to keep them public and focused on kids.

This is where progressives need to step in. For years, progressives have fought for public education. They’ve fought for equity, opportunity, and justice. These values are at the heart of what it means to be progressive. And they should guide how we defend charter schools as part of the public system. Good charter schools have made real progress. They’ve given low-income students of color, English language learners, and kids with disabilities a better chance. They’ve rethought discipline, moving away from harsh punishments. They’ve embraced restorative justice, building positive school cultures. They’ve recruited more diverse teachers, so students see themselves reflected in their classrooms.

Charter schools have also become lifelines for the most vulnerable. They’ve helped students who dropped out, got caught up in the criminal justice system, or faced other challenges. By offering tailored support, these schools are breaking the cycle of poverty. They’re creating new opportunities for kids who might otherwise be left behind. These are progressive values in action. These schools aren’t trying to replace traditional public schools. They’re adding something essential—something that makes the whole system more robust.

For me, defending charters isn’t just about defending one type of school. It’s about protecting the principles of equity, opportunity, and justice. When done right, charter schools offer a fully public, fair, and innovative approach to education. They help bridge gaps that have been there for too long.

These schools extend public education’s promise to adapt, grow, and serve the needs of more families.

This isn’t just a personal cause. Progressives have to defend them to ensure they can continue doing this. We all have an interest in standing against privatization and religious influence. It’s about keeping these schools public and accountable, protecting them from becoming tools for profit or exclusion, and ensuring they stay true to their public mission. It’s a collective responsibility.

This may be a tough sell to today’s progressives who have been steeped too long in a stew of political miseducation, one so severe that it forgets that charters were and are a progressive project. These schools started with Democrats, were supported by the most progressive leaders like Paul Wellstone and Rosa Parks, and grew due to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.

We must resist efforts on all sides to make charters into something they’re not and ensure they stay true to their public mission.

And in the process, we will build a more just, inclusive, and fair society for everyone.