Editorial

GARDEN SCHOOL MAY GET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY

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Long-awaited and the subject of many hopes in its southside neighborhood and throughout the city, the Missouri Botanical Garden Charter School nonetheless won't open for this year's classes. Charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that operate independently from the local school district and are free from many regulations under which regular public schools must operate.

The Garden school was the second to win a charter from the Southeast Missouri State University board of regents after the Lift for Life Academy, which opened last year and is now in its second school year.

Failure to secure a building will delay a charter opening in the Garden neighborhood of south St. Louis for at least a year. The regents canceled the five-year charter less than a year after granting it. The regents also told organizers of the charter school that they have until Oct. 15 to secure a building and financing, preparatory to re-submitting an application for the charter.

Southeast President Ken Dobbins makes clear that he, his staff and the board of regents look favorably on the Garden school, would like to re-issue the charter and ultimately see the school succeed. We share that view. Here's hoping that this will fall into place, and some hope returns to parents and children in St. Louis.