IF MATT WOULD TALK HE WOULD SAY THIS!!!!!
Lotus School of Excellence in Aurora, CO a Gulen "inspired" managed school was denied their expansion. Umit "Matt" Yapanel the board president, unsucessfully hired an attorney who had nothing legal to say except that the school board didn't have the right to deny the expansion and that improvement in test scores should not be the only reason to be denied.
Matt in his typical Gulen thirst for expansion moved like a drug addict looking for his next fix, tried to garner community support (no parents showed up)
The school had personal loans from their "brothers" as well as low performing scores and no improvement. There is also an issue of tax funds being co-mingled with LifeBridge Church's development.
Charter schools should be open longer than 5 years before they are allowed to expand. There is also a question of the number of students actually attending, Lotus School for Excellence in Aurora (paperwork says 250 yet Umit states it is 607)
State Appeal Denied
DENVER - The Colorado Board of Education upheld today the St. Vrain Valley School District's denial of a charter for Lotus School of Excellence.
Organizers of the Lotus School, which has a kindergarten-through-11th grade school in Aurora, wanted to open a kindergarten-through-fifth grade school in Longmont. Citing an unrealistic budget and a lack of community support, the St. Vrain board of education unanimously denied the request on Dec. 8.
After a hearing that lasted just over an hour, the state board of education members voted 6-1 to uphold the school district's denial. Chairman Bob Schaffer, R-Fort Collins, was the only state board member who voted against the motion.
Angelika Schroeder, D-Boulder, said Lotus' lack of transparency, such as refusing to share with the St. Vrain school board its intent to enroll forms, raised questions.
Marcia Neal, R-Grand Junction, said it's against her nature to vote against a charter school. However, questions about Lotus School's finances and governance were not answered, so she could not support the school, she said.
Another state board member, Paul Lundeen, R-Colo. Springs, echoed Neal's statements. He was concerned about the school's governance, finances and community support, he said.
No Longmont parents attended the hearing. When Imagine Charter School at Firestone appealed St. Vrain's denial in 2007, the same board room was overflowing with parents and children.
After the hearing, Lotus board president Matt Yapanel said, "I feel very sorry for Longmont students."
The school will not take its appeal to court, Yapanel said. March 9, 2011
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| Front row, from left: St. Vrain Valley School District president John Creighton, superintendent Don Haddad, and SVVSD lawyer Richard Lyons listen as Lotus School of Excellence school board president Matt Yapanel, standing left, and Lotus attorney Jeffrey DiTolla speak during a hearing before the State Board of Education on an appeal from Lotus School of Excellence on the St. Vrain Valley School District's denial of a charter Wednesday. The board upheld the decision |
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