Springfield’s Academy of Arts and Academics is set to lose its charter status by late June. As KLCC’s Brian Bull reports, some locals oppose the action.
Springfield district officials say having A3 under its jurisdiction will improve accountability, oversight, and protection following a sexual abuse scandal involving its principal and a student.
But Roscoe Caron of the Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE), is concerned.
“We don’t believe that A3 – if it becomes reconfigured as an alternative school – will come close to offering the same level of staffing that it has been able to provide through the inclusion of a lot of local artists as instructors and staff at the school," Caron tells KLCC. "Therefore, our concern is that A3 will cease to be A3.”
CAPE and some parents say A3 shouldn’t be punished for Principal Mike Fisher’s actions. Fisher killed himself after being put on leave, shortly after reports came out that he groomed, abused, and stalked a student for a decade.
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