Nazareth Superintendent: 'Education is Under Attack'

Nazareth Area Schools Superintendent made an impassioned plea recently that public education must be protected at all costs.

The retiring school official targeted charter schools, funding issues and voucher programs as threats to public education.

"," Lesky said. "I love competition and would relish the chance to compete with cyber and charter schools. But it has to be on the same playing field."

Lesky argued that those schools don't have to adhere to such mandates placed on public schools, like special education, for example.

"If we could start a school for science and technology only, I'm sure it would be among the best," he said.

Lesky said that if charter and cyber schools take away the district's best students, then "I'm afraid our schools will be schools to only educate the disabled and the poor."

The superintendent criticized state politicians who are pushing charter schools and voucher programs as failing to see the big picture in what public education is all about.

"Schools are a melting pot where everyone comes together to learn about each other," he said. "They are going to destroy public education in the state."

He said that there is a place in the education world for charter and cyber schools, but that they shouldn't be a priority or considered the saving grace to get pupils to a higher education plane.

"Kids are the ones who are going to get hurt," Lesky said. "I don't believe that's the right way to go."