From day one, Neuse Charter School has had its skeptics — the people who nodded almost gleefully whenever they heard that a student or teacher had left the county’s first and only charter school.

And it’s true that many students did leave — 28 of 220, or 12.7 percent. But it’s true also that traditional public schools lose students too. In part, Neuse Charter School exists because parents wanted something different for their children. Not surprisingly then, some Neuse Charter parents have decided that the school isn’t for their children.

Neither is it surprising that some teachers have left. Neuse Charter leaders say the school lost some out-of-county teachers because of high gas prices. But what if the school did lose some teachers because they were unhappy or disenchanted? That happens in traditional public schools, and certainly, Johnston County’s traditional public schools cannot brag about their teacher-turnover rate. In fact, the rate has been so high at some schools that students have surely suffered.

In other words, Neuse Charter is like any other public school in Johnston. It has its ups and downs. Fortunately, Neuse Charter leaders and parents know this, and they are acting accordingly. Most notably, they have hired Dr. Patricia Harris as director, or principal. Harris is well respected and has a track record of success, so her presence brings immediate credibility that even the skeptics cannot discount.

It’s possible that some supporters of traditional public schools want the charter school to fail because they see it as threat to traditional public schools. Our thinking is that only the children matter, and that they should be able to attend whatever school works best for them.