Thornwell Charter Slammed
The children of Laurens County suffered a blow on Wednesday from which they may not recover. The State Board of Education denied the appeal of the Thornwell Charter School by a narrow margin. Thornwell is currently a private school in the Clinton area which is closing at the end of this school year. A group of benefactors and administrators have formed a non-profit corporation to open a new charter (public) school on the grounds. The Laurens 56 public school district denied the original application of the Thornwell Charter School on August 11 on four grounds-fiscal impact, facilities inadequacy, unrealistic budget, and the legal issue of conversion from a private school to a charter school. The State Board, after hearing nearly two hours of appeal (including Sen. Danny Verdin & Rep. Jeff Duncan), ruled in favor, albeit barely, of Thornwelll on the first three issues, but sided with the district on count four. This was perhaps the most amazing finding of the Board because they had in their possession a June 1 opinion of the South Carolina Attorney General wherein the state’s chief legal officer found that the Thornwell charter application is in complete compliance with the law on this issue. The opinion states that, “…there is no conflict with Section 59-40-210 [the law on private-charter conversion] in such planned opening of the charter school…” The Board simply decided that the Attorney General does not understand the law.
As a member of the South Carolina Senate, I can assure you that no one in the General Assembly, even the lawyers, ever stands up and says that the Attorney General doesn’t know what he’s talking about. No one takes an opinion as definitive as this one, and so cavalierly disregards it as merely another argument. The Board’s decision to toss aside the official opinion of the Attorney General is stunning in its presumption. The Board, acting as a court in this case, absolutely ignored the only real piece of legal evidence in its possession. The hubris displayed by this act should deeply trouble anyone in South Carolina that cares about education.
The South Carolina Charter School Advisory Committee, which is charged with sanctioning each charter school application, declared the Thornwell application as one of the best it has ever reviewed. Nonetheless, Laurens 56 hired a top Columbia law firm, Halligan and Childs, at a cost that surely ranged into the thousands of dollars, to fight the effort of children and their parents to create an innovative learning experience. If this charter application cannot pass muster, none ever will.
This case is not about vouchers or “sending public money to private schools”. It is about public school choice, the very thing that defenders of the status quo claim they support. Obviously, they do not. The defenders of the status quo, in this case Laurens 56 and a majority of the State Board of Education, slammed the door on the hopes and dreams of children in Laurens County. This was an injustice.
October 13th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Do you know who voted on each side? If so, can we see the list?
October 13th, 2006 at 2:25 pm
Do you know who voted on each side? If so, can we see the list?
October 13th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Kevin
I looked at the list of members of the state Board. None appear to be lawyers. I know it is popular to bash lawyers (I note your comment “even the lawyers” but take no offense). I suspect that the Board may not understand the role of the Attorney General or even understand any applicable legal issues here. It should be no surprise. By the way, an Attorney General’s opinion is not binding, but advisory only.
God bless.
October 13th, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Kevin
I looked at the list of members of the state Board. None appear to be lawyers. I know it is popular to bash lawyers (I note your comment “even the lawyers” but take no offense). I suspect that the Board may not understand the role of the Attorney General or even understand any applicable legal issues here. It should be no surprise. By the way, an Attorney General’s opinion is not binding, but advisory only.
God bless.
October 16th, 2006 at 12:18 am
On October 11, 2006, the State Board of Education held a public hearing on Thornwell Charter School’s appeal of a denial of a Charter by the Laurens County School District 56 Board of Trustees. The motion and vote is shown below.
Motion 1: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56’s School Board’s denial of the school’s charter application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the facilities to be used by the school did not meet appropriate safety and health standards. Mr. Mike Forrester seconded the motion. The motion carried
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Kristin Maguire, 3. Terrye Seckinger, 4. Danny Varat, 5. John Tindal , 6. Kristi Woodall, 7. Joe Isaac
No: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Virginia Wilson, 3. Rebecca Burch, 4. Ben Mitchell, 5. Patsy Pye, 6. Diane Sumpter
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chairman: Voted to break tie
Motion 2: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School Board’s denial of the school’s application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the creation of the school would have an adverse impact on other students in the district. Mrs. Terrye Seckinger seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Mike Forrester, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Terrye Seckinger, 5. Danny Varat, 6. John Tindal, 7. Virginia Wilson
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Ben Mitchell, 3. Patsy Pye, 4. Diane Sumpter, 5. Kristi Woodall
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 3: Mrs. Kristi Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School Board denial of the School’s application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the school’s proposed budget was not economically sound. Mr. Danny Varat seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Mike Forrester, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Terrye Seckinger, 5. Danny Varat, 6. John Tindal, 7. Kristi Woodall
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Ben Mitchell, 3. Patsy Pye, 4. Diane Sumpter, 5. Virginia Wilson
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 4: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School District’s denial of the school’s charter application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the creation of the school constituted a “conversion” of a private school. Mr. Mike Forrester seconded the motion. The motion failed.
Action: The motion failed.
Yes: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Kristin Maguire, 3. Terrye Seckinger, 4. Danny Varat
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Jessie Curtis, 3. Ben Mitchell, 4. Patsy Pye, 5. John Tindal, 6. Virginia Wilson, 7. Kristi Woodall, 8. Diane Sumpter
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 5: Mrs. Kristin Maguire—Mr. Chairman I move that the State Board of Education uphold the denial of a charter school to Thornwell Charter School. Mrs. Rebecca Burch seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Jessie Curtis, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Patsy Pye, 5. Ben Mitchell, 6. Diane Sumpter, 7. John Tindal, 8. Virginia Wilson, 9. Kristi Woodall
No: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Terrye Seckinger, 3. Danny Varat
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
October 16th, 2006 at 12:18 am
On October 11, 2006, the State Board of Education held a public hearing on Thornwell Charter School’s appeal of a denial of a Charter by the Laurens County School District 56 Board of Trustees. The motion and vote is shown below.
Motion 1: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56’s School Board’s denial of the school’s charter application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the facilities to be used by the school did not meet appropriate safety and health standards. Mr. Mike Forrester seconded the motion. The motion carried
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Kristin Maguire, 3. Terrye Seckinger, 4. Danny Varat, 5. John Tindal , 6. Kristi Woodall, 7. Joe Isaac
No: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Virginia Wilson, 3. Rebecca Burch, 4. Ben Mitchell, 5. Patsy Pye, 6. Diane Sumpter
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chairman: Voted to break tie
Motion 2: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School Board’s denial of the school’s application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the creation of the school would have an adverse impact on other students in the district. Mrs. Terrye Seckinger seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Mike Forrester, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Terrye Seckinger, 5. Danny Varat, 6. John Tindal, 7. Virginia Wilson
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Ben Mitchell, 3. Patsy Pye, 4. Diane Sumpter, 5. Kristi Woodall
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 3: Mrs. Kristi Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School Board denial of the School’s application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the school’s proposed budget was not economically sound. Mr. Danny Varat seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Jessie Curtis, 2. Mike Forrester, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Terrye Seckinger, 5. Danny Varat, 6. John Tindal, 7. Kristi Woodall
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Ben Mitchell, 3. Patsy Pye, 4. Diane Sumpter, 5. Virginia Wilson
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 4: Mrs. Kristin Maguire moved that the State Board of Education find that the Laurens District 56 School District’s denial of the school’s charter application violate state law based upon the Board’s determination that the creation of the school constituted a “conversion” of a private school. Mr. Mike Forrester seconded the motion. The motion failed.
Action: The motion failed.
Yes: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Kristin Maguire, 3. Terrye Seckinger, 4. Danny Varat
No: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Jessie Curtis, 3. Ben Mitchell, 4. Patsy Pye, 5. John Tindal, 6. Virginia Wilson, 7. Kristi Woodall, 8. Diane Sumpter
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
Motion 5: Mrs. Kristin Maguire—Mr. Chairman I move that the State Board of Education uphold the denial of a charter school to Thornwell Charter School. Mrs. Rebecca Burch seconded the motion. The motion carried.
Action: The motion carried.
Yes: 1. Rebecca Burch, 2. Jessie Curtis, 3. Kristin Maguire, 4. Patsy Pye, 5. Ben Mitchell, 6. Diane Sumpter, 7. John Tindal, 8. Virginia Wilson, 9. Kristi Woodall
No: 1. Mike Forrester, 2. Terrye Seckinger, 3. Danny Varat
members absent: Mr. Al Simpson, Mr. Ron Wilson, and Mr. Trip DuBard
member recused: Mr. Charles McKinney
Chair: Does not vote unless a tie
October 17th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Kevin
Where was Ron Wilson? Was it not known that these issues would be voted on at this meeting?
Good to see you Friday.
October 17th, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Kevin
Where was Ron Wilson? Was it not known that these issues would be voted on at this meeting?
Good to see you Friday.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Hooray for you, Senator Bryant!! It is so refreshing to hear an articulate, informed voice on the issue of charter schools in SC. Thank you for your swift assessment of the issues related to the State School Board’s decision and the Laurens 56 board’s decision on the Thornwell Charter School application. Would you consider sending your article to the Clinton Chronicle and The Laurens Advertiser? The people of Laurens County need to hear what you have to say.
October 17th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Hooray for you, Senator Bryant!! It is so refreshing to hear an articulate, informed voice on the issue of charter schools in SC. Thank you for your swift assessment of the issues related to the State School Board’s decision and the Laurens 56 board’s decision on the Thornwell Charter School application. Would you consider sending your article to the Clinton Chronicle and The Laurens Advertiser? The people of Laurens County need to hear what you have to say.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Senator,
On the mark!
It stuns me how a school district (who claims adverse financial impact) can afford the legal fees… as well as their efforts in the Lee County case! Yes, the case of another charter school - in another county - Laurens 56 weighed in with a legal brief. Cost?
Also, in a district with suspect PACT, how can the Superintendent be away from his duties to attend the Lee County hearing? Who paid for the trip and why wasn’t he in his district taking care of his district responsibilities?
This district started with “kill this charter initiative” and then proceeded to bend and mold the circumstances to fit their agenda.
It is the blatant dishonesty by the district staff AND the Board of Trustees that really burns.
Keep up the good work sir, and publish your comments to every news outlet possible.
October 17th, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Senator,
On the mark!
It stuns me how a school district (who claims adverse financial impact) can afford the legal fees… as well as their efforts in the Lee County case! Yes, the case of another charter school - in another county - Laurens 56 weighed in with a legal brief. Cost?
Also, in a district with suspect PACT, how can the Superintendent be away from his duties to attend the Lee County hearing? Who paid for the trip and why wasn’t he in his district taking care of his district responsibilities?
This district started with “kill this charter initiative” and then proceeded to bend and mold the circumstances to fit their agenda.
It is the blatant dishonesty by the district staff AND the Board of Trustees that really burns.
Keep up the good work sir, and publish your comments to every news outlet possible.
October 20th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
I think the only issues that should have been discussed were 1 through 3, for which the charter school was supported.
I think the three yes, one no vote it was a political move and that, no matter what, they would have found one issue to vote no on, while voting in the affirmative for all the others, just to give themselves political cover.
this way, they can say “well, they were almost there, but not quite”.
if one can believe that bull … salad.
October 20th, 2006 at 1:04 pm
I think the only issues that should have been discussed were 1 through 3, for which the charter school was supported.
I think the three yes, one no vote it was a political move and that, no matter what, they would have found one issue to vote no on, while voting in the affirmative for all the others, just to give themselves political cover.
this way, they can say “well, they were almost there, but not quite”.
if one can believe that bull … salad.
October 20th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Earl -> You hit the nail on the head. Bullseye!
October 20th, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Earl -> You hit the nail on the head. Bullseye!