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CMCSS School Board denies charter school

Board shuts down fellow member supportive of applicant



On Tuesday April 25, the Clarksville-Montgomery County Board of Education denied the charter school application of American Classical Academy Montgomery in a 6-1 vote. CHERI REEVES

On Tuesday April 25, the Clarksville-Montgomery County Board of Education denied the charter school application of American Classical Academy Montgomery in a 6-1 vote.

The CMCSS Board of Education prevented District 7 board representative Aron Maberry the opportunity to ask questions about why the review committee recommended the board deny the charter school application. CHERI REEVES

In the same meeting, the board also denied District 7 board representative Aron Maberry the opportunity to ask questions about why the review committee recommended the board deny the charter school application.

Maberry questioned the rubric the committee based its recommendation on, which resulted in the findings that the applicant’s summary rating for operations, finances and academics did not meet or exceed standards.

Elizabeth Vincent, the district’s Director of Continuous Improvement and a member of the review committee, was answering Maberry’s questions, but Maberry was shut down from Charlie Patterson, District 6 board representative.
“I feel like you’re wasting the board’s time,” Patterson said. “You’ve had all week to ask these questions.”

CMCSS Director of Schools Jean Luna-Vedder reminded the board members that Vincent was there to speak on behalf of the committee and should not have to defend the committee’s answers.

School Board Attorney Mark Nolan told Maberry that all questions presented to the committee and the applicant were public and posted online.

School Board Chair Kent Griffy, District 4 representative, urged Maberry to voice his concerns instead of questioning Vincent.

Patterson then called for the question for the vote on the charter school applicant in order to cease discussion.

The call for the question and to cease discussion passed by a 6-1 vote, with Maberry opposing the move.

The board of education then voted against the charter school application of American Classical Academy Montgomery.

Parent and teacher activists with Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM) are speaking out against efforts by American Classical Academy to establish charter schools across Tennessee. This group met shortly before the Clarksville-Montgomery County Board of Education meeting held on Tuesday, April 25 with the board’s vote to deny the charter school application. CHERI REEVES

When it came to Maberry’s vote, he said he voted for the charter school, but voiced his frustration over being shut down from his comments and questions.

Applicant’s next move

American Classical Academy Montgomery has the opportunity to submit an amended application within 30 days.

The review team then will have 60 days to review and consider the amended application.

According to state law, American Classical Academy can appeal a school board’s denial of its application to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.

The Tennessee Public Charter School Commission’s decision on appeal would be final and not subject to further appeal.

This is the second year the charter school company ACAM, associated with Hillsdale College, has applied in Clarksville.