Protect Ohio Taxpayers and Students from Charter School Operator Raided by the FBI

The FBI recently raided Concept Schools Inc., which operates 19 schools in Ohio. The FBI is investigating Concept Schools for “white-collar crime,” self-dealing and misusing federal money meant for the neediest students. After the raids, additional allegations of wrongdoing surfaced. Former teachers at Ohio’s Dayton-area Concept Schools testified before the state board of education, alleging sexual harassment, attendance inflation, test tampering and racism.

Concept schools also have a history of being insensitive to African-American students. One school’s dress code banned “Afro puffs.” A former teacher testified that a principal took no action against another teacher who referred to African-American students as “monkeys” and “dogs.”

Given these serious allegations, it seems likely that the 19 Concept charter schools could be shut down, possibly in the middle of this school year. Such school closures not only disrupt children’s lives, but also leave taxpayers on the hook for the schools’ liabilities and debts. Fortunately, Ohio law provides you with the means to protect taxpayers.

We request that the Ohio Board of Education and the Ohio Department of Education take the following steps, provided for in Ohio law, to protect taxpayers’ and students’ interests against further wrongdoing on the part of Concept Schools:

First, we request that the board immediately begin the process of revoking the current sponsors’ authority and then direct the Department of Education’s Office of School Sponsorship to assume sponsorship of the Concept schools. We then request that the Department of Education require each of the Concept schools in Ohio to post a bond of at least $250,000 to cover costs associated with closure and the transition of students to other schools.

There are other steps that should be taken or should have been taken earlier, but this is something you can do right now to make sure tax money intended to go to students doesn’t end up in the hands of those seeking to profit from loose regulations and lax oversight.