The Examiner U-46 News Feed
Public at U-46 hearing supports charter school
By Seth Hancock
The proposed Elgin Math and Science Academy (EMSA) charter school got its public hearing in front of School District U-46, and like the first time it came before the board in 2014 the public still wants the school as 24 of 30 public speakers supported the proposal on Monday, March 13.
However, like the first time the administration is asking the board to deny the proposal claiming it “fails to demonstrate how this charter will serve the diverse strengths and needs of U-46 students” and it “relies heavily on uncertain grants and loans.”
The 2014 proposal failed by a 6-1 vote, board member Veronica Noland the only supporter of EMSA at the time. Donna Smith, the board’s president, and Traci Ellis were the only other current members on the board at the time.
EMSA has already been approved for a $1 lease with the city of Elgin to the former Fox River Day School campus.
Before the public hearing, the EMSA team presented its proposal and the administration followed with its recommendation and the board followed with questions.
Adam Gray, a native of Scotland and the founding board treasurer for EMSA, said the administration’s findings were like a Scottish saying, “the poacher turned gatekeeper.”
Gray said the EMSA team had 20 financial models and “we were very open and we actually shared our financial model at a very early stage with the administration. Some of the facts coming out surprised me.”
One of the aspects the administration claimed as failing was on transportation, but Gray said that EMSA used the 75 percent reimbursement figure the administration told them to use.
“That’s what we were told to use as a figure from your financial department here,” Gray said.
Also noting the claim of grant and loans uncertainty, Gray noted that President Donald Trump has been vocally supportive of charter schools and school choice in general and said: “We’re still confident that we will get that, and with the new administration in Washington I think we should keep that confidence. What makes people think that charter schools are not going to be a model that’s supported going forward?”
Gray also said the district was slow in offering a response as the EMSA team got the U-46 recommendation just three days prior to the public hearing and said “we’re not trying to be combative here” but they want to work together and know “what sort of things would you like to see from us.”
The district also said it was concerned that 10 percent of EMSA’s budget for improving the facility is reliant on debt. The administration said its budget is 7 percent.
Gray said that 10 percent “is great in my eye” as a “brand new startup,” and Anne Brown of the Illinois Network of Charter Schools said that 10 percent is below the normal number for charters as 15 percent is typical.
U-46 CEO Tony Sanders responded that “We would be assisting and be willing to facilitate conversations” but “we continue to say that we would do our own analysis, our own review.”
Prior to the start of the public hearing Smith said she would be instituting a new public comment rule crafted back in the fall by cutting speakers times from three minutes to two because over 20 people signed up to speak. Board member Cody Holt made a motion to suspend that rule and Jeanette Ward seconded it as they along with Phil Costello opposed that rule change back in the fall.
The motion passed as Sue Kerr joined Costello, Holt and Ward in voting to suspend it. Kerr, who supported the rule change in the fall, said “because this is an important issue and I want to hear from people” she supported suspending the rule.
Ellis said “I can’t support that because if we suspend that for this then we’re just going to be suspending it” and Noland said that it was put in place so a “greater number of folks to get more comments in” while Smith said “they were put in for a reason.” That doesn’t align with what was said when the change was made after three meetings where a majority of the public came out to oppose the change, when asked at the time Smith said “I don’t know” on why she was making the change.
Melanie Gibb, a college professor, supports EMSA and said that “far too often we hear ‘what do I need to do to get an A?’ The fear of being wrong has stifled our young people to the point of complacency.”
Gibb added that “I believe the vision and the passion and the possibilities of EMSA, they have filled me with hope” that students “will be able to take ownership of their education.”
Dennis Verges, a father, said that he “became a lifelong learner” because he was given options when he was in school, and “if this school doesn’t pass, I likely will no longer be an Elgin resident.”
Enoch Essendrop, a candidate in the April 4 board election, noted some irony in the district’s response.
“I find it interesting that now all of the sudden you’re highlighting how unreliable state funding is while ironically this board voted to approve a budget that increases our projected state funding,” Essendrop said while adding that “we know, according to the wonderful capitalistic principles that America was founded on, competition is positive” and it decreases costs and “assures parental involvement.”
Essendrop also later read a statement from a mother, Ebony Brown, who had to leave early. Brown said she quit her job to home school her kids, and EMSA would be a school she would want to send her kids to.
“Children need choice,” Lennie Jarrett said. “They need to be able to strike that passion, to be able to find what their niche is, find where they can learn and they need other opportunities. There’s no perfect school, there’s no perfect student. Everybody learns differently, every school teaches differently and we all need those options.”
“A change in paradigms is essential for this school district to achieve the magnitude of academic improvements required to extricate itself from its substandard academic results,” said Rick Newton. “We need to introduce alternative, competitive options such as the proposal from EMSA that could serve as a learning laboratory for educators, and most importantly as a viable means to reach students who have for too long been stymied in attempting to realize their own potential.”
Those opposed to the charter were generally opposed for political reasons as they explained their anger and contempt that some board members support school choice in general.
“When you vote yes to the EMSA proposal… and you make grand statements that this is about freedom, school choice and what’s good for all, you will stand there naked wearing nothing but your hypocrisy and a yellow scarf,” said Lisa Hopp referring to Holt and Ward who both have photos wearing a yellow scarf that supports school choice.
Earl Sibar said Holt and Ward “want to burden us with another losing operation just to suit your political fancies, hell no.”
Mary Shesgreen said the “presentation today was very appealing” and it would “create a wonderful learning environment that would be creative and delightful,” but she wants to deny that educational opportunity because she philosophically opposes parents guiding the education of their children.
“I oppose charter schools in general because they take money away from the public, from the majority, and give it to a small minority,” Shesgreen said.
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