Another Charter School Attempts A Hostile Takeover
Shirley Elementary is the latest LAUSD school to find its campus under siege by Citizens of the World. When will the district fight back?
“First and foremost we have every right to stay here”-Citizens of the World Charters Schools during a previous Prop 39 co-location battle
While one would think that finding a location would be the responsibility of the administration of a charter school, Citizens of the World Charter (CWC) could not be bothered. This chain of publicly funded private schools would rather leave that responsibility to the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Using a provision of Proposition 39 that allowed charters to take over unused district space, CWC is trying to expand into the San Fernando Valley by forcing itself onto the campus of Shirley Elementary. The problem is that these spaces are vital to the successful programs at this neighborhood public school.
As noted by Board Member Scott Schmerelson, Shirley “is a shining example of how our public schools can be the anchor for surrounding communities.” In order to fulfill this mission, many of its classrooms are used for enrichment activities and services. These include a computer lab, a robotics room, an art and music room, a room for working one on one with students and space for afterschool programs. The Parent Center offers Adult ESL and Parenting classes and hosts meetings. Space is also provided for Mommy and Me classes that are offered to the community. However, since a teacher is not assigned to these rooms, the California Charter School CONTINUE READING: Another Charter School Attempts A Hostile Takeover - Carl J. Petersen - Medium