Local debates have been running hot as school representatives discuss the pros, cons and financial pull of both public and charter schools in the Lehigh Valley.

Charter schools are publically funded independent schools established by teachers, parents, or other community groups under the terms of a charter with a local or national authority. Senate Bill No. 123, passed June 12, 1997, allowed for the establishment of charter schools in the commonwealth.

WFMZ's "Business Matters" hosted the panel to flush out the strengths and weaknesses of public and charter schools in the show re-airing Aug. 11.

Members of the panel included Carlos Lopez, Lehigh Valley Dual Language Charter School; Jason Billups, PA Virtual Charter School; Harrison Bailey, principal of Liberty High School; Dr. Thomas Seidenberger, former superintendent of East Penn School District; Charlie Thiel, Allentown School Board member; Jason Scheurer, Libertarian Party; and Michelle Griffin Young, executive vice president, government and external affairs, The Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce.

President and CEO GLVCC Tony Iannelli, host of "Business Matters," kicked off the dialogue by asking Seidenberger how charter schools could be hurting Lehigh Valley students as they run their divergent educational systems through public school funding.

"The first thing that comes to mind is over the last four or five years we've seen a 35 percent increase in charter school tuition payments from public schools," Seidenberger said. "The second thing I am concerned about as superintendent and the citizens of PA should be concerned about is the overall tuition bill for charter schools is now $1.4 billion statewide … we should be asking what we are getting for our investment."

Bailey, principal of 2,800 students at Liberty High School, commented the state, on a yearly basis, is asking more and more financially from public schools.

Lopez, a pro-charter school advocate, combated the previous sentiments by saying, "Charter schools are public schools.

"When the school profiles came out in October, we outscored 11 of the 16 elementary schools in Bethlehem."

Seidenberger and Bailey responded saying overall charter schools did not outperform public schools.

"Forty-three percent of charter schools hit a score of 70. Seventy-seven percent of public schools are scoring above a 70," Seidenberger said "We don't want to make this an anti-charter school event, but this law was passed in 1997. It is now time to take a step back and look at pros and cons."

Lopez said, "We have to look at this from a position of strength and opportunity, and I think it is time for us to look at the legislation but we also have to remember this law was enacted because it gives parents a choice."

Over the course of the conversation no exact conclusion was made on whether charter schools were helping or hurting the students in the Lehigh Valley, but the representatives concluded charter schools influence competitive change in public schools and provide a more personalized learning environment due to their smaller class sizes.

However, they also allowed the benefits charter schools have on the learning community detract money from public schools who need every bit of funding they can get to educate their pupils.

Thiel supported this statement by asserting with every new charter school opening in Allentown,10 percent of the public school's budget is taken away.

"I think the issues are mainly in the legislation, and it needs to be looked at again. Honestly there are charter schools that are doing a good job, they are doing what they need to do. But there is a lot who are not, and our taxpayers are paying all of them." Bailey said.

Billups, of PA Virtual Charter School, said Bailey's criticism applied to public schools as well.

Some public schools meet the standards, and some do not, Billups said.

"The way I look at it we are all in this game together, we are in education to serve students," Billups said. "Charter schools are here as part of the public school system to serve students. That's the bottom line.

"We have to remove the financial aspect of it and really get down to what we're trying to do, and that's to educate children."