UPDATED WITH NEW INFORMATION: Just hours after having their charter revoked, a Marion County Superior Court Judge issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting Mayor Greg Ballard from halting operations at The Indianapolis Project School. Earlier Tuesday (July 24th), officials, parents and alumni of the school, which had its charter revoked, made a dramatic appearance on Afternoons with Amos. Board Chair Daniel Barron, staffers Bwana Clements and Courtney Flessner, parent Chrisse Ezell and alumni Christian Cunningham, told the school’s side of the story. The four year old charter school had the worst performance in the 2012 ISTEP tests for African-American students. Mayor Greg Ballard recommended revocation of the school’s charter July 17th citing the school’s poor academic performance and patterns allegations of financial mismanagement and a lack of financial accountability, including improper use of Federal funds. Literally minutes after Project School officials appeared on WTLC, the Mayor issued a final revocation of the charter of the school at 22nd and the Monon Trail in the Martindale/Brightwood neighborhood. School officials vehemently denied the city’s allegations of financial mismanagement. But school officials strongly defended their academic record, despite barely a third of Black students passing ISTEP English/Language Arts and only a quarter passing Math. A week earlier, Deputy Mayor for Education Jason Kloth and Bath Bray, Director of the Mayor’s Charter Schools office explained the reasons to close the school, just days before the start of the school year.
Click Arrow to Hear The Project School tell Amos and Listeners their side of the Story. Runs 51 Minutes ©2012 WTLC/Radio One.
Click Arrow to Hear the Full Conversation with Deputy Mayor Kloth and Guests with Amos and Listeners. Runs 61 Minutes ©2012 WTLC/Radio One.
