The Jackson-Madison School Board officially authorized its attorney to begin pursuing a legal challenge to last month’s decision to grant the county’s first public charter school.¶
Board attorney Dale Thomas says he now plans to file a lawsuit in hopes of overturning the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s decision in favor of the application from American Classical Education (ACE) to open a school in Jackson. The commission’s decision overturned an earlier vote by school board members against ACE in July.¶
Under Tennessee law, denied charter applicants can appeal to the state commission and Thomas says there are several problems with the commission’s decision in favor of ACE, including a failure to follow the state’s own guidelines (rubric) for charter approvals.¶
“The school system found a lot of deficiencies in the application and the commission basically turned a blind eye to the rubric,” said Thomas.Tuesday’s announcement follows a special called meeting Monday morning on the issue and a related vote last month by the board to consider pursuing a legal challenge.¶
Thomas says the board members are also concerned about inconsistencies with how the commission approached a similar ACE appeal submitted for a public charter school in Maury County and allegations of an open meeting’s violation.¶
“The commission met in private session with the members of the American Classical Academy group and did not invite members of the public or members of Jackson-Madison County to that meeting,” said Thomas.¶
American Classical Education has faced widespread criticism over the last year due to its connection to Hillsdale College and the controversial statements Hillsdale president Larry Arnn made about Tennessee teachers.That backlash has contributed to multiple school districts voting ACE’s charter applications down though the Rutherford County School Board did approve the organization’s application earlier this year.¶
