Maury Co. school board denies ACA charter school proposal 2nd time around

The long-awaited final vote by the Maury County School Board on whether to allow the organization of an American Classical Academy charter school resulted in a denial on Thursday.

The proposal to bring an ACA school to Maury County has been a polarizing process, which has generated differing opinions about whether the school would provide an educational, as well as financial benefit. The application was previously denied in April, but was granted a 60-day appeal that would have expired at the end of July.

More: Maury County ACA charter school decision pushed back due to lack of votes

The vote was initially taken last week during a special called meeting, but was unable to garner the six votes needed either in favor or opposing the application. The lack of votes was due to two board members not being present, therefore another special called meeting was scheduled Thursday to meet the 60-day deadline. Had no vote been taken, the application would have been approved by default.

"This has been something that is a divisive issue across our state, across our nation, and here we were basically 11 strangers from different ways of thinking to pull this together and determine what is best for the students of Maury County," school board chair Michael Fulbright said.

"Each of us have different views of what that is, but I have no doubt there are 11 people up here ... and a room full of people who only want the best for the children of Maury County. Even though we have different ways of looking at it, different expectations of what that looks like, we can at least walk out of here knowing we all share that goal as caring, concerned citizens of Maury County."

Fulbright, who has been openly in favor of establishing the charter school, initially motioned to approve the application during the Thursday meeting but was unable to garner enough votes in support. The motion was then made to deny the application, which resulted in a narrow 6-5 vote.

More: Maury Co. school board votes down ACA charter school by 1 vote

American Classical Education, the umbrella company overseeing the charter school, can now appeal its application to the state, who could approve or deny it.

ACE board member Dolores Gresham released a statement about the denial.

"The Maury County School Board sided with special interests instead of local students and families. It denied a high-quality classical public charter school for local families – a school that would bring time-tested instruction including phonics as an option to a community struggling with the continued illiteracy of its students," Gresham said.

"More than 7,000 Tennessee families have expressed interest in classical education, and a core of that group includes Maury County parents. In fact, hundreds of Maury County families voiced their desire for a tuition-free public school with a classical curriculum."

Gresham further criticized the board in failing its "duty to students."

"They will continue to be forced to attend zoned schools that might not be the best fit for everychild. Their families will not have additional curriculum or instruction options. The students will not have phonics," she said.

Gresham assured that local ACE board members and its families are evaluating all options, including an appeal to the Tennessee Public Charter School Commission.

Jay Powell is a general reporter for The Daily Herald. Get up-to-date news in your inbox by subscribing to The Daily Herald newsletter at www.ColumbiaDailyHerald.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Herald: Maury School Board denies ACA charter school proposal on 2nd try