The Cherokee County School Board took no action Thursday on a last-minute appeal to reconsider a previously denied charter school application.
About 50 parents and teachers at the meeting were told by Thomas Roach, an attorney for the school board, that any decision would violate open-meetings laws because there was no public notification. Roach also said school board and possibly state Department of Education policies could be violated.
The best way to proceed, Roach said, would be for the group to resubmit a revised application and allow the board to act as quickly as possible.
Board members said they were hopeful a decision could be rendered in time to open Cherokee Charter Academy in August. Parents were told the board could call a special meeting in June to review the newly submitted application for a charter school, board member Michael Geist said.
"There will be an appropriate and necessary time to get input from the public," Geist said.
No public comment was allowed.
Kelly Marlow, a parent who is helping organize other parents in favor of the charter school, said time was running out.
"It's going to be a crunch," she predicted.
Cherokee's school board denied the charter school last year, and proponents turned to the state commission, which approved it. However, a state Supreme Court ruling on Monday said the state commission action was unconstitutional. That created a crisis situation for the school, which had selected students and found an empty former private school to hold classes for about 900 students.
Charter schools are public schools with curriculums and administration controlled by the school. They draw money from state and federal money, and receive dollars from local schools the students leave.
"We want to remain hopeful," Marlow said.
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