Charter School Probe Turns To Missed Rent Payments, Commissioner's Emails
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 Former CEO of the Jumoke Academy charter school Michael M. Sharpe, 62, seen at the far right, was previously been convicted twice on criminal charges, and admitted that the academic credentials he claimed were inaccurate. (Vanessa de la Torre) |
As federal investigators pressed Tuesday to obtain the state's education commissioner's emails, the Jumoke Academy charter school group acknowledged that the ex-executive at the center of a growing education scandal regularly missed rent payments while living in one of its government subsidized buildings.
The disclosures came days after FBI agents issued subpoenas showing interest in millions of dollars of public funding distributed to the Hartford-based charter school management company FUSE and the closely affiliated Jumoke, which operates three charter schools. Critics have questioned the effectiveness of both groups and decisions that resulted in hiring educators with criminal backgrounds and spotty training.
The state Department of Education on Tuesday disclosed that it was served a federal grand jury subpoena last week that seeks, among other things, "All emails of Commissioner Stefan Pryor" since January 2012. The wording of the subpoena shows investigators are interested in email exchanges related to Jumoke, FUSE, FUSE founder Michael M. Sharpe and the Milner Elementary School in Hartford.
Sharpe founded the publicly funded FUSE, which means Family Urban Schools of Excellence, in 2012. He resigned as FUSE CEO a month ago after acknowledging that he twice has been convicted of crimes, served time in prison and falsely claimed to have a doctorate in education.
Jumoke Academy, which was founded by Sharpe's mother and employees at least three of his relatives, disclosed Tuesday, in response to a Freedom of Information request, that Sharpe has fallen far behind in the rent he owes on an apartment he has leased since February 2013 in a Jumoke-owned building on Hartford's Asylum Hill.
Figures released by Jumoke Executive Director, Joseph L. Dickerson III – Sharpe's nephew – show Sharpe has paid $5,000 on $12,969.09 he owes in rent. In a July 8 letter to Sharpe, Dickerson demanded payment of the balance. The letter is dated after the Courant asked Jumoke for a copy of Sharpe's lease Charter School Probe Turns To Unpaid Rent and Commissioner's Email - Courant.com: