DON'T JUDGE THEM BY THE CONTENT OF THEIR TEACHERS' UNION CONTRACTS:

Obama's salute to a New Orleans charter school: The president's visit to the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. school helps validate America's nearly 20-year trend of charter schools. (The Monitor's Editorial Board, October 15, 2009, CS Monitor)

President Obama's visit to a charter school in post-Katrina New Orleans today is just one more indication that these nontraditional schools are finally getting the validation they deserve. This, after nearly 20 years of scrutiny as publicly funded but privately run schools.

The Obama administration is heavily promoting more of these hybrid schools. As part of a $4.35 billion education-reform initiative, the president plans to reward states that make it easier to start charter schools that often serve inner-city children. Eleven states still don't allow charters.