I was sitting at a table at Geiger Elementary as part of a panel evaluating students for the Gifted and Talented Arts program. These were students identified as having exceptional skill in the arts. Talented. Creative. Bright. The kind of students you get excited about. And then something unexpected happened.
During introductions, one of the students casually mentioned they would be attending a new charter school next year.
Then another.
Then another.
My goodness.
Over one-third of the students we were evaluating — students developed right here in Fairfield County Schools — are leaving.
Now, I’ve learned something from Dawn Staley and recruiting in the NIL era. After the pleasantries, you get to the real conversation early so you don’t waste time. So I started asking students sooner: “What school will you be attending next year?”
Student after student answered: “The new charter school in Blythewood.”
And just like that, I felt torn.
Let me be clear. This is not an anti-charter school article. Parents should absolutely choose what they believe is best for their children. I respect that. I also respect how charter schools market themselves. They find a nerve, tell a compelling story, and convince families they offer something better. I can’t be mad at that.
But here’s where I struggle.
Fairfield County Schools aren’t perfect. No school system is. But we are also amazing and full of potential that is often realized. We just don’t always celebrate it.
We have teachers who grew up in these communities. Teachers who sat in these same classrooms. Teachers who understand the culture, the families, and the unique strengths of our students.
We have magnet programs. We have STEM Early College, where students can graduate with their associate degree before they even receive their diploma. We have a teacher village that allows educators to live and work in the community they serve.
But here’s the part that worries me.
When talented students leave, we don’t just lose numbers. We lose relationships. We lose leadership. We lose community. We lose valuable resources.
Being from Ridgeway and Fairfield County used to mean something. It meant something to be a Griffin, a Wildcat, or an Eagle. That pride helped hold communities together.
And if we’re not careful, we risk losing pieces of that.
We’re also too small to be competing with each other. Public schools. Private schools. Charter schools already in our county. We should be collaborating, sharing resources, and working together. Not pulling from the same talent pool and weakening each other.
If we’re going to compete, we also have to play the game. That means marketing what we do well. Celebrating our students. Telling our story. Loudly and consistently.
Because I’m not anti-charter school.
I’m pro-Fairfield County.
I’m pro-students.
I’m pro-community.
And I care.
Because when our students leave, we’re not just losing enrollment. We’re losing pieces of our community.
And I don’t know if you noticed, but we can’t afford to lose any more people.
Kenny Robertson, an educator and comedian, is a native of Ridgeway.