CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Hillsdale College-backed charter school proposed in Montgomery County has withdrawn its application, saying it needed more time before a state hearing coming up next week.
American Classical Academy Montgomery (ACAM) in Clarksville is one of three charter schools statewide that were sponsored by American Classical Education. The other schools were proposed in Murfreesboro (Rutherford County) and Jackson (Madison County).
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Surrounding public hearings in all three cities, opponents pointed to comments insulting public school teachers made by the president of Hillsdale College, which is backing the ACE charter schools.
In Montgomery County, School Board leaders said that the comments, while insulting, didn’t influence their decision to reject ACAM. They cited, among other matters, governance problems, 19 requested waivers of state laws, and flaws or gaps in operational plans.
Withdrawing the appeals
Because the charter schools were rejected by school boards in all three counties, ACE appealed to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission, which scheduled a final hearing, where a decision would be made, for Oct. 5 in Nashville.
On Monday, ACE asked the commission to defer ruling on the three appeals for 45 days, so they might have more time to clarify to the commission how the governing body would operate, according to documents shared on the commission website. ACE also said it wanted the commission to hear from more parents who support the schools, but several districts would be on fall break on Oct. 5, though not Clarksville-Montgomery County.
“We believe this will allow the commission to ensure its decisions are in the best interests of the students, districts or communities ACE proposes to serve,” ACE said in their letter.
On Tuesday, the commission responded that the date for the hearing has been set and is moving forward.
On Thursday, ACE withdrew the three applications.
Unclear if ACE will try again
In response to questions from Clarksville Now about whether they will apply for a charter school in Montgomery County again next year, ACE said, “We believe, with complete conviction, that there will be many future opportunities in Tennessee as there are in most of America.”
“The nationwide movement away from monopolistic public schools is an expression of the fact that parents have a natural love and, therefore, a natural say over how and what their children are taught in school. This parental love was evident in the efforts of the many parents who have supported our efforts and to whom we remain committed. It remains a much stronger claim than the claim of the bureaucracy that continues to stifle quality public education options for families. After all, parents are the purest form of ‘local control’ when it comes to their child’s education,” ACE’s statement said.
“ACE remains committed to empowering parents and students to have access to high-quality public schools of choice. We look forward to applying for additional charter schools where local parents, teachers and students desire excellent education alternatives.”
State House candidate Ronnie Glynn, in statement sent to Clarksville Now, called the decision “a success for neighborhood schools across the state.”
“Despite being rejected by our local School Board, this process was an attempt by Governor (Bill) Lee to siphon off tax dollars to fund schools with little oversight and even fewer results. For the sake of my eight grandkids and the thousands of children in Clarksville schools, I’m elated we have one less thing to worry about.”
What’s next
There is still a pending appeal for a Clarksville charter school from Oxton Academy Charter High School, and it will be heard Oct. 5.