I wrote about the problems at Pencader Charter school this past July. You can read what I wrote here. Here’s a snippet:
What’s a Pencader parent to do?
And that’s the main point of this post. I am calling on Pencader leadership, the DOE, politicians and the Governor to give these parents answers. Will Pencader open in a few weeks? If it does, will it stay open through the school year? Given the low enrollment what educational programs/teachers, if any, will the school lose?
Pencader parents have a right to these answers. How can they possibly make an educational decision concerning their child without having these, and other, questions answered. It’s past time for those in charge to break their silence.
Well, it appears the school is still open, but I doubt for long. Last night Pencader held its school board meeting. Kilroy reports:
I am seeing tweets from Pencader achool board meeting indicating some parents are raising hell that Pencader is not releasing their children in order to attend other schools.
Transparent Christina has the tweets:
another parent of 12th grader, 10th grader, and a freshman. Wants her kids released. One of her kids missing core classes!
grandfather now speaking that his granddaughter was told she could not attend Glasgow because she is locked into Pencader.
“@mom2aboyngirl #pchs parent said Lewis refused her childs release papers.” @DEStateBoardEd you see this garbage? It’s on you!
How is this possible? So much for School Choice. Who knew a public school could hold kids hostage? But Pencader’s enrollment is crashing and they need to have a certain percentage of students to operate. In my opinion, Pencader is history, but this slow death is painful to watch.
Meanwhile, Nichole Dobo reports on more red flags at Pencader:
Leaders of Pencader Charter Business and Finance High School are considering contracting with a company affiliated with the school’s departing board president, a move that concerns the state Department of Education.
The school board meets today and is expected to accept the resignation of its president, Vincent DiMauro. The school is considering an arrangement where it would enter into a business relationship with DiMauro’s firm to do consulting work that might include corporate governance and financial advice.
“I just want to make it clear we all want what’s best for the school,” DiMauro said.
The charter school has been advised by the DOE that the arrangement with a former board member raises some “red flags” that must be addressed, according to an email sent Monday to the school board from Dan Cruce, deputy secretary of education.
“That information raises many red flags for me. Frankly, the red flags are ones that I raised as potential when we last met and that I counseled you all to avoid,” Cruce wrote in the email. “I’m surprised to see that they have come to fruition.”
Gee, DOE, glad you’re concerned. Are you planning on doing anything? My bet is that the Pencader leadership is quite comfortable ignoring your counsel since you seem like a lot of bark and no bite. Is there really nothing the DOE can do? If so, this is a huge problem since these schools charter through the state.
Meanwhile, what sort of cuts will the students at Pencader be facing this year as everyone stands around watching this school crash and burn. And when Pencader takes its last gasp (sooner, rather than later is my guess) Traditional Public Schools will be standing by, ready to take the kids. I’m about ready for a law that states… when a Charter School closes existing Charter Schools must take the students from the closed Charter. Hey, you want to be a public school? Then be a public school.
Go back and reread those tweets from last night’s Pencader Board meeting. Parents are requesting release papers form a public school so their children can attend another public school and their requests are being denied. I sincerely hope the parents at that meeting exchanged contact info. If I were them I’d be lawyering up.