LAUSD School Board Candidate Silke Bradford: An ‘F’ on Charter School Oversight
“Sexual abuse allegations are not something that can shut down a charter…under the law.”
- LAUSD Board District 7 candidate Silke Bradford
The North Valley Military Institute (NVMI) is one of the rare cases where a charter school’s renewal was rejected by the Los Angeles Unified School District’s board. The school then appealed this decision to the Los Angeles County Office of Education. The county staff also recommended that the renewal be denied, but they were overruled by the unelected Board of Education. As a result, they continue to operate on the campus of LAUSD’s Sun Valley High School.
Since LACOE overturned the rejection of the charter renewal the following have been revealed:
- NVMI was illegally charging students to attend summer school. If parents could not afford the fees, the school would allow them or their students to work off the debt. In doing so, the school violated minimum wage and other labor laws.
- While considering the appeal, the LACOE did not have a copy of the current, verified financial audit. This document is required under the law.
- During the time that LACOE was considering the appeal, a lawsuit was pending against the school and the LAUSD alleging that an administrator who lived with NVMI’s Executive Director had sexually abused students.
As LAUSD School Board Member Scott Schmerelson notes, all of these should have disqualified NVMI from being renewed. The fact that it was CONTINUE READING: LAUSD School Board Candidate Silke Bradford: An ‘F’ on Charter School Oversight
Patricia Castellanos for School Board
@Patricia4LAUSD