Netflix founder stresses respect in charter school mission

Reed Hastings, founder of Netflix and staunch charter school advocate, says there can be common ground between supporters of charter schools and those of traditional public schools. “I look at it like Protestants and Catholics; we believe 99% of the same things,” he says. “Yet at times in our history, Catholics and Protestants have gone to war and killed each other.” Hastings was the keynote luncheon speaker at the Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools conference this afternoon. He says it’s important for both sides to respect each other because both are trying to serve children within the context that they know, adding that “occasionally there’s bad actors on both sides.” However, he says, the narrower “mission focus” of charter schools often can be more rewarding for teachers and students. Hastings says public charters tend to flourish in poor areas where parents are dissatisfied with their options. The charter school model of a self-perpetuating board as opposed to an elected one allows for a consistent mission, he says. “The problem with a generally elected board is that it changes direction frequently,” he says. “Creating excellence takes sustained effort.” —David Jacobs