Get Schooled

By Robert

August 19, 2005 12:10 PM | Link to this

This sounds typical. For some reason, the State and School Systems do not like Charter schools - especially ones that perform better than the other schools. I do not understand this attitude.

What the article does not say is WHY the State told DeKalb County to “shut down” the charter school. Was the charter not renewed? I have heard of charter schools losing their charter because they did not do the paperwork required to renew their charter.

Bottom line is that the parents must make enough noise to keep the school open. As with each and every school, parents make the difference.

By Tammie

August 19, 2005 12:31 PM | Link to this

I wish the best for the Academy of Lithonia. If the experience there is anything like what we experience at Kingsley Charter School(also in Dekalb Co.)then the school will be a great success.

The day I went to register my child at the neighborhood school I was seriously repulsed. The smell of the school in addition to the performance was enough for me to seek out a change. I was so happy to find Kingsley.

Having a choice for parents who seek the best for their child is what the county needs to provide.

Unfortunately we moved from Dekalb to Gwinnett last year and had to leave Kingsley. So far our experience at the Gwinnett school has been good.

Good Luck to Dekalb students and parents.

By Javone

August 19, 2005 12:37 PM | Link to this

The situation sounds ridiculous for Dekalb County to go through so much to harm these kids education. Dekalb County knows their schools are crap, then the parents try to better there kids education and this is the thanks parents get. I don’t understand how they won a appeal if they did not notify the school of the new deadline dates after they changed the certification from every 2 years to 1 year.

By Taxpayer

August 19, 2005 01:23 PM | Link to this

The Academy of Lithonia seems to be a private school that is being funded by taxpayers. Of course the school is great! What school in DeKalb wouldn’t be wonderful if the system spent $7,000 per student? If parents don’t like their neighborhood schools, then they have ample opportunities to take advantage of the many magnet programs in the county. Better yet, if a neighborhood school is a problem, why don’t the parents work to make it better? I put my beliefs in to action by working when I could at all three of my child’s schools. I did everything from cleaning classrooms to tutoring students. Some parents had very little time to give, but they gave what they could. When anything went wrong at these schools, parents spoke up and made sure it was fixed. No matter what happens to the Academy of Lithonia, I hope the parents there and in every system will do what the gentleman quoted in the article advised — make noise! Speak up! These are YOUR schools.

By AnotherTaxpayer

August 19, 2005 01:45 PM | Link to this

Taxpayer, All schools get at least $7,000 per student. The difference is that your taxes ALSO pay all capital costs for non-charter schools such as construction, maintenance, etc. Charter schools must pay for their own capital costs. So in reality, charter schools cost you LESS than regular schools.

By jennifer

August 19, 2005 02:01 PM | Link to this

My children attended DeKalb County schools for one year and we moved back to Midtown.

I realize not all schools in DeKalb are like the ones my children went to, but the fact remains they did much better in schools that had structure and where the administration didn’t hesitate to discpline students who were out of line. It wasn’t like that in DeKalb. The schools were overtaken by students who did want to be there so, in turn, they caused problems for everyone else. There was also more violent episodes and much more disrepect towards teachers because the students knew they couldn’t do anything. When they tried to call the parents for a meeting some of the parents showed up with the attitude, “What did you do to make him/her mad?” What kind of crap is that? Giving the ruling of the roost to children is not acceptable.

I wish all schools were funded well so parents wouldn’t have to make the decision of where to send their children because one school is much better than the next. All schools should have working, up-to-date computers and other learning tools. How about books? Books would be a great start but there are schools where 2-3 children share one book because the school cannot afford to purchase more. There is something incredibly wrong with that picture.

Good luck to the parents at Lilburn Academy. Voice your opinions and don’t take no for an answer. I applaud what you have done so far.

By jennifer

August 19, 2005 02:09 PM | Link to this

Correction! The schools were overtaken by students who didn’t want to be there. That makes much more sense. Thanks.

By shey

August 19, 2005 02:23 PM | Link to this

Im not sure people really want to know what happened at AOL. The school has big problems. Most of which not being honest with the parents. The parents could not get anything done. This really may not be a matter of education. It may have more to do with dollars and more dollars. As a previous writer noted. Privately held, pubically funded. The education, well see for yourself. go to www.great schools.net (2003) AOL scored on the CRCT= L. Arts 57% Reading 62%, Math 14%. Until recently many of the educators were not qualified. (Im not sure about now.) This has happened before to this same owner,if Im not mistaken, his school in Texas closed the same way. (I had the website addr someplace.) Some of the current teachers have alleged “ethical issues” that have gone on and they still have jobs there. The children usually dont have their books at the start of school, no items such as toilet paper, parents are asked to donate copy paper, they have never had a lunchroom to serve hot meals, but they promised to fix that 2 years ago. Oh let me correct myself they have a lunchroom, but they dont have the proper grease traps/drainage and no stove so they could not cook. They use the kitchen for a lost and found, coat closet. They catered Chick-fil-a every day and then last year $3 per meal local caterer. No gymnasium. The ratio in the after school program was normally about 25-30/1 adult. And one of the worse things is that this school had no nurse, not even parttime. I saw a child with a broken arm sit in the hall and wait for her mother as she sat in the chair and cried. When I looked at the child and asked her what was wrong she cried and said “I hurt my arm.” It was obviuos that the arm was broken. The other sick children either sit on the floor in the office or they sit in a chair in the hall and suffer. And yes the parents asked/begged for a nurse, cafeteria, toilet paper, we volunteered, we walked the halls, we donated. They use more substitute teachers than almost any school. Last year when school started some of the children did not even have a teacher at all. The Saga continues. I felt sorry for the new parents bringing their children even after the current parents and the school were notified that the Charter was not going to be renewed. The concept is wonderful and this school could have worked, but….

By DBD

August 19, 2005 02:35 PM | Link to this

My people, when are we going to get SMART? In the past and especially now, the “power structure”(buckhead/midtown) and the “string pullers” and misinformed African-Americans are truly not interested in your kids becoming “EDUCATED”. Come on, look at it, these kids are learning and excelling (where others cannot-whites included), being trained by a wealthy African-American how to “play the get rich game”, becoming independent thinkers, creating a future network(young black kids network) and being taught by a multi-cultural teaching staff and invited speakers(just like Harvard/Yale) in the RICHEST AFRICAN-AMERICAN COUNTY in the country…this my brothers and sisters is a greater threat than Bin Laden. Let’s COME ALIVE in 2005, even if your kids are not in this school you are going to benefit because these real giant killers…businessmen/women, scientist, governors with real ideas, preachers with true visions which are going to affect future generations and you when you are a senior citizen. So, don’t be swayed by so called “technicalities”, if that is the case government needs to close…we are really out of money, educational boards need to cease they really don’t have legal authority, the news media should be out of business…they are suppose to print “the truth”, etc. The real haters in our metropolitan community are afraid that their kids will not be able to compete off the “ballfield”, just like they cannot compete on the ballfield…football, baseball, basketball,tennis, golf, soccer, etc. God did say…”the last shall be FIRST, and the FIRST shall be LAST…this my brothers and sisters at the Academy of Lithonia is OUR INFLECTION POINT…?

By Whitey

August 19, 2005 03:31 PM | Link to this

DBD - huh? What was that nonsense? Actually Prince Georges County in Maryland is a much “richer” predominately African American county than DeKalb. Not as much political BS getting into the way of teaching the children in the public schools. Parents need to do whatever they can to get the proper education scenario worked out for their children without worrying what the rest of the world is doing.

By Rosemary

August 19, 2005 04:16 PM | Link to this

The parents, from what I read, seem to think the school is doing a great job. Yet the state is making it hard for them to operate.

This is just one example of why people are down on public education. It is clear the State is protecting themself from competition.

By Robbie G

August 19, 2005 04:22 PM | Link to this

To set some things straight. The L.A. is not a private school. The school is a public school funded by Tax Payer monies. Instead of the government spending $7000 for a child at say XYZ middle schoool…. the funds instead are spent at the “Charter School”.

And yes, $7000 per student is what is spent per student at Dekalb Public Schools. In my county the cost is just under $10,000 per student.

By Petebeme

August 19, 2005 04:26 PM | Link to this

“Better yet, if a neighborhood school is a problem, why don’t the parents work to make it better?”

That is the $64,000 question. One answer may be….that the “machine” is too big and too unresponsive. That is the reason schools need to be run totally by the county. Leave out the State and Feds. More direct control.

But hey, follow the money!!!!!!It’s a scam.

By Rosemary

August 19, 2005 04:29 PM | Link to this

Whitey…..I agree…..DBD, huh?

By Craig

August 19, 2005 04:32 PM | Link to this

What is AOL????

By reese

August 19, 2005 04:53 PM | Link to this

I moved my child to this school because I thought that I could get her an education just as good as her private school. What one must understand is that many of these children come from private school prior to coming to the Academy. Teachers know a good thing when they see one. So I guess that would explain the turnover of parents teachers and N/I staff and the PTO. Multi-cultural teaching staff, does not exist. As far as the owner, he appears when we are up in arms. He does not live in Georgia and the children dont recognize him. Invited speakers? When.
Sorry but I like what DBD said. Because that is why I sent my child last year. But when the a math teacher is a music teacher that can not teach math, but can write a school song but most of his students fail math. Its not pretty. Not having books. Not having teachers in the classrooms. And am I to believe that because the owner is an African-American that he is to be trusted? Cant get problem children out. The school will lose money. Not to worry he had last years parent bamboozled also. This is all old stuff “Truth”s coming out. My brother, my brother I love your idealism but at the Academy “it aint that kind of party”

By Disappointed Parent

August 22, 2005 08:49 AM | Link to this

My child was a student at the Academy of Lithonia. What the news is not mentioning is the mismanagement of funds that was abundant at the school. Most of the time the students did not have the required supplies because the “out of state” managment company was not releasing the funds. Georgia taxpayer funds. Also, the school was functioning fiscally in the red for the past 2 years, which is against regulations. Why is the school in the red? Well when you take taxpayers money to build the school and then turnaround and charge the school rent that would lead to a fiscal deficit.

I removed my child because I could not see the reason for having individuals who could not manage the funds for the school teaching my child good business practices. Yes, the education was good because the teachers were good. But when the administration starts to mistreat the teachers and the turnover rate is extremely high, you have to take a stand.

Brother or no Brother, what that company is doing is wrong.

By taxpayerandvoter

August 22, 2005 11:28 AM | Link to this

Is is something seriously wrong with a governmental entity that will harm innocent children and force them to attend underperforming schools in South Dekalb. Parents must make noise about this issue otherwise it will get swept under the rug. The school board should be in partnership with out schools because this ultimately affects the community. I don’t see that in Dekalb County.

By Ernest

August 22, 2005 12:08 PM | Link to this

Because there are not enough voices advocating on behalf of the children, issues like this will not get the attention it deserves. Remember the saying about the ‘squeaky wheel’. This is not unique to South DeKalb.

By Me

August 23, 2005 10:39 AM | Link to this

There are so many problems in South Dekalb, I don’t even know where to begin. I certainly don’t have the answers. But, I do believe that these parents should have the right to educate their child the way they believe is best. Whether that be homeschool or a charter school. It sounds like this school may be on it’s way to becoming a homeschool co-op of sorts, and not a full “charter school”. I do not know the regulations behind such an animal. The county, in that area, is not going to offer better education in that area, in my opinion.

In the end, I think the county should help them, not hurt them.

By Me

August 23, 2005 11:09 AM | Link to this

Following another response, I found 2 examples in Texas. First, there’s Bexar County Academy. Here’s the GreatSchools link. I don’t have a subscription, but the first review is obviously negative “The school gives the impression that it is good …”
And, here’s a local news story on the school’s problems.

Second, there’s Academy of Austin Charter School. It’s closed, it was run by the same group. If you search, you’ll find details on it, but you may need to rely on Google’s caching. It was closed abruptly, leaving the parents and kids fleeing to nearby schools.

If you google for terms like “Charter School Administration Services”, or Allen’s name, you get all sorts of nifty info. The lawsuits read like multiple black communities across the country were ripped off by this fellow. Shame, becuase I think the Charter ideas are really great. Maybe these S. Dekalb parents can get together and form a new charter school, properly.

By Me

August 23, 2005 11:30 AM | Link to this

DBD, I think your “spirit” is getting in the way of your rational judgement. It sounds like that kind of spirit is what swayed this community in the first place. Unfortunately, like following a cult leader, you need to find the rationality of it all.

By Me

August 23, 2005 11:46 AM | Link to this

Better yet, if a neighborhood school is a problem, why don’t the parents work to make it better? It’s a good question. But, from my limited experience in South Dekalb, it’s like battling a whole community. I left the area for a community more focused on the right values. I know it’s a blanket statement, and it shouldn’t be, but since the majority of what I experienced was like this, I’ll stick with it. The majority of parents/kids in the public schools in S. Dekalb don’t focus on education as a top-priority. Some schools had to enforce dress codes before the county mandated it. Kids/Parents valued shoe brands more than reading and arithmetic. They demanded their child dance like they wanna (see Stephenson High).

Some parents wanted to see their kids succeed in life, they believed the schools couldn’t offer that. They probably tried to improve the schools (like I did) and realized the hurdles are far too big for them, the select few with higher ambitions. So, they gathered together and formed their own school, a great idea. It had the real potential to help their kids. Others chose to send their kids to Private Schools. Another reasonable option. You have to understand, the types of changes needed in these schools are community-wide. It’s massive changes that will take considerable time and district-level help. The results of which are almost guaranteed to not benefit their children, but instead help their children’s younger siblings, or maybe their children’s children. That’s a hard row to sow when it’s your kid in that environment.

By Ernest

August 23, 2005 12:09 PM | Link to this

Me:

Based on several of your other posts, I don’t question that your heart is in the right place. I do question what you meant by these statements:

*The county, in that area, is not going to offer better education in that area, in my opinion. In the end, I think the county should help them, not hurt them. *<<

I’m in favor of choice programs like charter schools. There are rules and regulations they must follow to be certified. IMO, there are legitimate questions about the Academy of Lithonia. Until those are legally resolved, they should not receive taxpayer funding. In the interim, if they want to become a private school, they should. They must be certified accordingly so if someone transfers, their credits will be recognized.

I disagree with your opinion about offering better education in South DeKalb. The opportunities are there, however it takes an engaged community to take advantage of them. There are problems however despite that, the current students have it a LOT better than I did.

Board members have a fiduciary responsibility along with accountability to all stakeholders in the county. I’d like to see a type of ‘Marshall Plan’ for several of the schools however just spending more money won’t solve the problem. The community has to take more ownership of the schools.

Possible solutions? Offer vouchers (earlier blog topic), eliminate attendance zones (mentioned by other posters), reconstitute more schools (done a few times) could be considered. I am frustrated but will try not to let it defer me from staying involved.

By Ms. Calloway

August 23, 2005 01:58 PM | Link to this

This is in regards to AOl. My child went to Academy of Lithonia and I am very please with the service. I was also very active in the school. I hope and pray they beat this ordeal. AOL is a great school with great teachers.

By Marney Mayo

August 29, 2005 11:46 AM | Link to this

I am a parent on the Board of Directors of another Dekalb County start-up charter. The head of the EMO that “controls” AOL is a modern snake-oil salesman who preys on the legitimate frustrations of parents and then trys to deflect blame when he is not allowed to get away with not fullfilling his own committments. I happened to be at the DOE meeting where the state education people decided to only grant the one year charter(the focus of the present lawsuit). Their concerns were reasonable and have been born out by ongoing fiscal, governance, and legal problems at the school. This outfit is harming the rest of us and the sooner the coffin is nailed shut the better off those of us who want to be empowered to fix the root cause of our problems through the creation of parent controlled schools will be. The silver lining is that parents in South Dekalb are standing up to demand something different. Outrage can result in positive change if properly directed and harnessed—apathy is the enemy.

By Ernest

August 29, 2005 02:32 PM | Link to this

Marney:

You may want to share this information with Patti. AoL advocates were out in force this weekend at an Education Town Hall meeting. Although I emphathized with them, as a taxpayer I don’t want AoL subsidized unless EVERYTHING is in order.

It sounded as though the local officials supported the charter and the state BoE rejected it. It also appeared the lawsuit may be about ‘procedural’ issues. We need this resolved quickly.

By Patti

August 29, 2005 03:08 PM | Link to this

Hey Marney and Ernest,

I’m aware of Mr. Allen’s reputation and of the school’s past problems. I can’t see where they’re relevant in this suit. At issue is whether the state had the right to cut the charter terms recommended by DeKalb from two years to one. The law does not say the state can do that, nor does it say the state cannot, hence litigation. A Fulton County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the school, but the state appealed and got a stay on the first ruling until the appeal is resolved.

By Ernest

August 29, 2005 03:37 PM | Link to this

Patti:

Thanks for the clarification! Please keep an eye on this issue as it can impact ALL private charters in the state. FWIW, I suggested to my son he do is Social Studies project on the pro’s and con’s of Charter schools. I hope to learn more about them while ‘helping’.

By Marney

August 31, 2005 03:03 PM | Link to this

The lawsuit is about whether the Charter Law authorized the State DOE to make judgements about the merits of the charter content, or simply to edit-check and veto a charter if there is something grossly illegal that has been approved by the local board. The State people have to get this ruling overturned or they cease to have any meaningful input in any future charter state-wide. The sad thing is that the state people have been much more evenhanded and less political because they have seen more charters and therefore have a better sense of what may cause a charter to get into trouble later. Local boards often are so tight with the local administrators that when administrative personnel have a NIMBY emotional response, the board will tend to not be able to judge the actual merits of the charter. The state people often play a mediator role. If this case stands—charter’s will loose that, and I would predict more action down at the legislature on this topic.