15 Delaware Charters Suing Christina School District and Delaware DOE… Greedy Bastards!

The News Journal just reported that a group of Delaware charter schools are suing Christina School District and the Delaware Dept. of Education over the charter school funding issue that I broke at the end of August.  This is unbelievable!  I can’t believe they have the unmitigated gall to go behind the districts’ backs all Spring, have the DOE issue “updated” funding formulas in August, and then sue Christina and the DOE after Secretary Godowsky reversed course on the plan.

And who does the News Journal have as a fresh picture, taken two days ago?  None other than Kendall Massett with the Delaware Charter Schools Network.  When Newark Charter School’s Head of School Greg Meece and Kendall Massett  get together, we should expect nothing but trouble.  For all of Massett’s talk about wanting district and charter collaboration, she sure has a funny way of showing it.

Fifteen charter schools have filed suit against the state Department of Education and Christina School District to get what they claim is their fair share of funding.  Christina has been withholding millions of dollars in local tax revenue from charter schools for years and the Department of Education has been complicit, according to the lawsuit.

Their fair share of funding is what they already get.  I actually can’t wait to see this go to court.  I will say it here and now… the charter schools will lose!  Who is paying for their attorney fees?

Under the adjusted formula, Christina School District would have had to pay about $3 million more this year than it had been planning.  For Newark Charter School, one of the chief beneficiaries of those funds, that would have meant an additional $1 million in revenue.

I said it before, and I’ll say it again… this amounts to Greg Meece going for an unprecedented money grab for Christina after they won their referendum last Spring.  And I also have a pretty good idea why he thinks the charters will win.  But I will hold that close to the vest for now.  But that one goes all the way to the top of Delaware, right Jack?  So how far back does this lawsuit go?  How about 2008!

The lawsuit aims at reinstating the adjustments made to the statewide formula and forcing Christina to pay back what it has withheld since 2008.

Newark Charter knows that if they win this would bankrupt Christina which I have no doubt is their overall plan.  And what then?  All of Christina goes back to the state and would most likely convert to charters.  Is Meece going to lead his long dreamed of Newark Charter School Network and take all those kids he didn’t want for the past 15 years?  I know what happened in 2008 when a former Christina Board member told Meece they would get additional funds from their referendum but the board member spoke out of turn.  Ever since, Meece has been gunning for Christina because of bad information.  I also have a pretty good idea of where Meece got certain information from that is making him think he has a case.  That will be the true revelation when all is revealed!

I would have to assume these fifteen charters are the ones that get funding from Christina School District, which is most likely every one in New Castle County.