What is the difference between a charter school mom and a pit bull?

One is legal to unleash in Douglas County.

Whoever answered lipstick would be wrong. If you have ever been in a charter school carpool line, you'd notice that we are more likely to wear pajamas in public and our kids breakfast wiped on our sleeves, than lipstick.

We do have a couple of similar traits with pit bulls though. The most infamous of such is probably the habit of fiercely fighting for our little ones and their environment. Whether this is a virtue or not, can be argued.

Most of us charter school families chose to place our students in these public school options because it was a better fit for our kids.

Note: I am NOT saying there is anything wrong with our neighborhood schools, just that all kids are not created equal and thankfully we have great educational options in Douglas County.

Those of us who have kids that don't fit the standard educational mold and are privileged to live within a school district, which offers healthy educational alternatives, are often attracted to charter schools.

What makes charter schools desirable?

For starters, they are still school district schools. For those of you new to this, let me simplify the explanation-charter schools are parent driven and district run.

There is this urban legend out there that charter schools are not really public schools. Charter Schools are public schools.

Don't take my word for it--I'm just a charter mom-Google it.

Let's face it, if charter schools were not a school district school, why do they receive your tax dollars for funding? Why are they listed under "options" on the Douglas County School District website? I don't know any private schools that get that treatment.

Charter Schools do not charge tuition.

So that nice school in town with high test-scores, uniforms, and small class sizes-does not have enrollment fees, tuition, or subscription dues. It is the same cost to you, my property-tax-paying-friend, as the neighborhood school.

To be fair I believe my husband and I accrue some additional expenses through having our kids in the charter that we did not have while in our traditional neighborhood school.

Gas-for one-is an expense we pay ourselves. I am not aware of one charter school in Douglas County that operates or subscribes to a school bus system.

Welcome to driving the carpool in your pj's.

That is to and from five days a week. We live about twenty-five minutes away from our school, so you see how it adds up.

Time-How much is your time worth? Most charter schools need the families to donate a minimum of twenty hours per school year to the school. Many of us log that in the first month or two. If you enroll your child in a charter school, you will quickly notice that everyone knows everyone. That's because when you volunteer you end up bumping into each other in the hallways, classrooms, carpools, parking lot, and the janitor's closet. You get the idea. No task is too small to be a huge contribution to your kid's charter school.

The volunteer element alone gives charter schools that small-town-feel. That may make you squirm and run--or click the search button for your local charter school listings. Like I said, none of the education choices are a one-size-fits all.

This brings me to why charter school moms have this innate defense mechanism when it comes to protecting the school their kids are enrolled in. Our teachers, students, staff and staff are not just part of our children's education-they are our school family.

And just like in-laws and extended family, there may be times when they drive us nuts. But if someone criticizes them unfairly, you stand up for them.

Although I view myself more as a pussycat than a pit bull, I am planning on writing a series of nuggets debunking the most common myths about charter schools. I do not intend to sway you to join our family, or even to add us to your top five, but I hope to create an understanding of who we are and what we stand for.

I am officially off leash.