NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
After months of back and forth with the Metro school board and even threats against the board from the state, Great Hearts Academies has ended its fight for a charter school in Metro.
In a statement released Wednesday, the Arizona-based charter school company said:
"It is evident at this point that, with this hostile board as the charter authorizer, a successful school opening would be impossible for Great Hearts, even if we were able to obtain a charter."
Great Hearts had wanted to open five charter schools in Metro, starting with a west Nashville location. However, its application has been denied repeatedly by the school board, including again during the board's Tuesday meeting.
In fact, the school board deferred approval on the application last month even after a mandate from the state to approve it.
Some thought the school board might have changed its course Tuesday as several new members heard the matter for the first time. But the decision to deny the application once again came after members again voiced concern over the charter school company's lack of plans for diversity and transportation.
"The school board has known for months that Great Hearts' diversity and transportation plans for Nashville exceed what MNPS requires of its own open enrollment schools," the Great Hearts statement continued. "Despite this, multiple school board members and MNPS officials have repeatedly made untrue statements about Great Hearts' program, mission, charter application and diversity plans for Nashville."
Great Hearts indicated it would consider applying for a charter school again in the future if there are changes made to Tennessee's open enrollment charter law.
The full statement follows:
"Our charter application has been before the MNPS board four times. The MNPS Board's own charter review committee found that Great Hearts satisfied every single MNPS approval criteria and it unanimously recommended that the School Board approve Great Hearts. The school board has known for months that Great Heart's diversity and transportation plans for Nashville exceed what MNPS requires of its own open enrollment schools. Despite this, multiple school board members and MNPS officials have repeatedly made untrue statements about Great Hearts' program, mission, charter application and diversity plans for Nashville. The school board and senior MNPS officials could not be more clear that they oppose Tennessee's open enrollment charter law and will do anything to block it and Great Hearts, even to the point of disregarding facts and willfully violating state laws. It is evident at this point that, with this hostile board as the charter authorizer, a successful school opening would be impossible for Great Hearts even if we were able to obtain a charter. Great Hearts may decide to apply for a charter in the future when Tennessee's laws and charter approval process more effectively provide for open enrollment, broad service to the community and impartial authorizers. We are grateful to the numerous Nashville families, public school advocates and state and local officials for asking us to come to Nashville and for their tremendous support. Once conditions improve, we are hopeful that all Nashville parents will have the option of choosing Great Hearts as another academically rigorous public school available to their children."
Local leaders react
"I think Great Hearts is wise to take a step back."
School Board member Will Pinkston didn't mince words Wednesday after learning Great Hearts withdrew its application to bring a charter school to Nashville.
"We were seeing a number of statistics from their schools in Arizona that indicated not very diverse schools."
Nashville's Mayor Karl Dean told Channel 4 News, "It's not a good day for education in Nashville."
Dean added the only ones who will suffer are the school children.
"It was an opportunity for the city to bring in a really high performing school, a school that performs above many of our schools, and it would offer another choice to families in Davidson County, which is what we definitely need."
As for the school board, the mayor had this advice: "People want change. People want choice. They want high performing schools and charter schools are part of that, and the school board needs to wake up to that."
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