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Naples, FL: A @Hillsdale charter school was founded by two then-Collier school board members, @erikadonalds & Kelly Lichter in 2014. They advocated for more resources for charter schools while on the school board & undermined district leadership, tinyurl.com/y8r97tsf /1
enabled frivolous legal challenges, and made false accusations. While in office, they set up consulting firms to start new classical academies. Neither ran for re-election. DeSantis appointed Donalds to his ed transition team. tinyurl.com/yyxlrdgj /2
Lichter is President of the Board of MCA. Parent grievances are not heard. Families who aren't satisfied have one choice: to transfer out. Even the Donalds withdrew their kids (see district report). This is market accountability. This is the #schoolchoice in action. /3
A past school treasurer filed an ethics report w/the state, but @educationfl wouldn't investigate (tinyurl.com/y8r97tsf). The state delegated oversight to the district that assembled a 60-page report. The district can't assign a new principal, but it shared.../4
...the report with @Hillsdale whose provost asked the school's Board to comply w/district recommendations by the end of June (the Board consists of Kelly Lichter, the school secretary & a parent, past president of @erikadonalds' parent group). tinyurl.com/y4bu46qo /5
Lessons learned: districts cannot remove a bad charter school principal, like other schools. If @Hillsdale hadn't stepped in, nothing would have changed. The state does not oversee charter or private schools, so no #accountability for taxpayers or parents. /6 #asleepatthewheel
The school must decide now: choose new leaders or end its affiliation with @Hillsdale. The report shows a pattern of abuse and illegal activity since the school's inception. tinyurl.com/y3hbq97x #anotherdayanothercharterscandal /7
.@Collierschools board meeting where the report is summarized by the district attorney (3:14:35) tinyurl.com/yxlztfj3 Dropbox link to Hillsdale letter: tinyurl.com/y6aabdym and the district report: tinyurl.com/y28v874d.
