Woodland Prep

News

Washington County charter school opposition is about quality public schools, not one guy’s religion

The people in Washington County who oppose a planned charter school are not bigots. They’re not against the charter school because a Muslim guy is going to manage it. They aren’t all caught up in some anti-Muslim protest. They just don’t want the charter school. And they have very good reasons for not wanting the … Continued

Josh Moon

July 24, 2019

Opinion

Texas school board member minces no words about Soner Tarim

Since Soner Tarim of Sugarland, Texas, has management contracts for both Woodland Prep and LEAD Academy charter schools, I watched with great interest when he appeared before the Texas Board of Education on June 14 trying to get approval to open eight new charter schools in Austin and Houston. Board member Georgina Perez of El … Continued

Larry Lee

June 27, 2019

Opinion

The Alabama Charter School Commission does not care

Last year, the Alabama Charter School Commission gave approval to a Washington County charter school known as Woodland Prep. It gave that approval despite the National Association of Charter School Authorizers, which was contracted by the Alabama State Department of Education to review charter school applications, writing in its review of Woodland that the school’s … Continued

Josh Moon

June 10, 2019

Opinion

Finally, state superintendent reverses course, weighs in on Washington County charter debacle

For months, state superintendent Eric Mackey has said he has no jurisdiction over the state charter school commission. However, as we have pointed out numerous times, the charter law of 2015 clearly says, “The department shall oversee the performance and effectiveness of all authorizers established under this act.” Furthermore, the guidelines written to govern the charter … Continued

Larry Lee

June 6, 2019

Opinion

“We don’t want no charter school and we don’t want no Muslims”

The gentleman who made this statement was one of 200 people who came to the Washington County high school in Chatom on Monday night, April 29. He was probably in his 60’s. His face was weathered and he wore a baseball cap and work shirt. Like everyone else in the auditorium, he had sat attentively as … Continued

Larry Lee

May 1, 2019

Opinion

How a Washington County charter school failed at every step, and was approved anyway

Woodland Prep is a charter school horror story — and it hasn’t even been built yet. Located in rural Washington County, Woodland Prep, which will open as a K-7 school this fall and add a grade level each year, is everything state leaders assured us could never happen under Alabama’s charter school laws. Its land … Continued

Josh Moon

April 10, 2019