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In his opinion piece, “Leader’s diploma mill degree raises questions about charter schools,” John Medeiros references the college admissions scandal, which has rocked the nation with news of wealthy parents finding unscrupulous ways of enrolling their children in several elite universities, and the uncovered failures in the admissions process at those schools. He then ties this debacle to the source of the doctoral degree held by Stephen Furtado, executive director of the Global Learning Charter School, with the ultimate intention of drawing parallels, however unrelated, to the GLCPS executive director, and questioning the integrity, accountability, and legitimacy of charter schools.
The board of GLCPS wants to make clear that Executive Director Furtado has done an outstanding job as the leader of GLCPS. His performance, which is reviewed annually by the board and shared with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, has commanded the respect and confidence of the board as well as the loyalty, respect and support of the faculty and families at GLCPS. This high level of satisfaction is clearly documented in the surveys that the board uses as part of the evaluation process.
The board also wants to emphasize the rigor of the process by which the Department of Secondary and Elementary Education approves the creation of new charter schools and its continuous and ongoing review of Massachusetts charter schools’ performance. In DESE’s last review of GLCPS, they praised the executive director’s leadership and the oversight that the GLCPS board exercises over the school’s programs.
Furthermore, under Steve Furtado’s leadership, GLCPS has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report, which has ranked the school in the top 10 percent of high schools in the region. This recognition is based on metrics such as the graduation rate of our high school students, the numbers pursuing higher education degrees, the academic rigor of the curriculum, attendance rates across all grade levels and our study abroad programs.
As is the case with all public schools in Massachusetts, information about the school, including MCAS results, graduation and dropout rates, and the percentage of seniors who plan to pursue higher education, are published on the DESE website for all to see. We invite you to call the school to arrange a visit to experience first-hand the quality of our staff, the integrity of our academic program, and the success of our students.
Mr. Medeiros’ opinion piece is a slanted and shameful personal attack on Executive Director Furtado and a misleading attack on GLCPS, and by extension charter schools in Massachusetts. Rather than allow these types of attacks to define or distract us, we will attend to the charter and the mission of GLCPS to ensure that all students succeed.
