A more than capacity crowd turned out Thursday night as the Cherokee County School Board delayed action on a request that it give its blessings -- and taxpayer money -- to a charter school that at least 900 students are hoping to attend next fall.
The school, Cherokee Charter Academy, had expected to open for the 2011-2012 school year under a state charter.
An estimated 300 people packed the meeting and overflowed into the street as the board pushed up consideration of a request for approval from the charter school, then decided to wait until June 24. Opponents of the school appeared to outnumber supporters.
Founders of the academy have been scrambling since the Georgia Supreme Court declared that local school boards -- not the State Charter School Commission -- are the only entities that can approve charter schools.
A petition from the academy was slated to be discussed June 30 but was moved to Thursday night's agenda at school board member Kim Cochran's request because of reports a June 30 vote would come too late for the school to be considered at an upcoming state school board meeting.
But Cherokee board members ultimately opted to take no immediate action.
Cochran said she was concerned that some who appeared in opposition to the academy's charter petition were reacting to rumors that if the school were to open regular teachers in the system could be laid off or face extended unpaid furloughs.
The meeting marked at least the third time Cherokee Charter Academy has been before the local school board since 2008. Two previous petitions were rejected in 2009 and 2010.
School Superintendent Frank Petruzielo told board members he's not opposed to a quality charter school. But, he said, some of the same problems that caused the school board to deny a charter petition for Cherokee Charter Academy in 2009 and 2010 still exist.
They include the level of control given to Charter Schools USA, a Florida company helping the academy set up and operate, Petruzielo said.
"It's the same deficiencies over and over," the superintendent said.
Another issue is tax money paying for a building where the charter would be housed that would not be owned by the public, Petruzielo said, adding, "it does not pass the smell test."
The board voted to meet June 24 to consider a 200-page draft contract for the charter developed by school system staff.
Among those turning out to support the charter school's request for approval were mothers Katie Orth of Holly Springs and Adrienne Slade of Canton.
Orth said if the charter isn't allowed to open, she'll be making sure her twins still receive a proper education as they head into kindergarten next year. "I will be at the school every day making sure they get what they need to succeed," she said.
Slade said her Plan B will be to home school her soon-to-be kindergarten student if Cherokee Charter isn't able to open.
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