Ms. Kafer notes that MANY charter and private schools provide educational opportunities for special needs students. Why not ALL charter and private schools. Public schools are required to educate all who come to the schoolhouse door -- not so charters and private schools. They can avoid spending tax dollars on those whose education is more costly and difficult. And school boards -- in my experience they are much more responsive to the communities they serve than the ideologically based committees running many charters. Their mantra is often, "If you don't like it here, take your child elsewhere" -- not an inclusive philosophy.