Successful Native charter school

Opinion:  Paternalism for all, except for childrenAIPCS—Oakland’s highest performing middle school—stresses obligation, not self-expression. Chavis, now “administrator emeritus,” is adamant: “Everyone says we should ‘preserve our culture.’ There is a lot of our culture we should wipe out.”

A visitor to an AIPCS classroom notices that the children do not notice visitors. Students are taught to sit properly—no slumping—and keep their eyes on the teacher. No makeup, no jewelry, no electronic devices. AIPCS’ 200 pupils take just 20 minutes for lunch and are with the same teacher in the same classroom all day. Rotating would consume at least 10 minutes, seven times a day. Seventy minutes a day in AIPCS’ extra-long 196-day school year would be a lot of lost instruction. The school does not close for Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Day or Cesar Chavez Day.Comment:  Funny that George Will neglects to mention why Chavis is now an "administrator emeritus." You can read the story in "Darkie" Principal Pushes Students and Indian School Principal Leaves.