Mt. Diablo school board unanimously denies performing arts charter petitionCONCORD — The Mt. Diablo school board on Monday voted unanimously to deny a petition for a proposed performing arts charter school at the Concord Pavilion.
Trustees agreed with a staff recommendation to deny the charter, saying the school was unlikely to be successful, its proposed educational program was unsound and the petition failed to meet state criteria. In addition, Board President Cheryl Hansen said she did not have faith in the lead petitioner for the charter, Neil McChesney, based on her opinion that the Clayton Valley Charter High School that he also helped to spearhead has “gone downhill.”
Several district residents spoke against the charter, saying it is not needed and could adversely impact arts programs at district schools by taking away students. Some also expressed concerns about lack of transportation to the Concord Pavilion, where the Contra Costa School of Performing Arts would be located, saying it would lead to an “elite” school that would be unlikely to reflect the diversity of the district’s students.
McChesney said he submitted a response to the district’s staff report that addressed the concerns raised. Although he did not have time to verbally elaborate on his position, his written response accused the district’s staff report of being misleading, erroneous and not consistent with the state’s Education Code.
“It is unfortunate that the district has chosen to take an intentionally antagonistic position against this exciting educational opportunity, despite the true merit of the petition,” the letter from the charter’s steering committee said. “It would seem that this represents a willful intent to ignore state legislation that clearly encourages the establishment of charter schools.”
McChesney resigned from his position as an administrator at Clayton Valley Charter High in March, saying he wanted to pursue other charter school opportunities. In January, the Contra Costa County Board of Education denied a similar countywide petition for the school led by McChesney, which sought to include students from throughout the entire county.
Last October, the Knightsen school board denied a charter petition from the ChartHouse Public schools charter organization that McChesney founded.
After Monday’s Mt. Diablo board meeting, McChesney said he plans to appeal his district performing arts charter petition to the County Board of Education as soon as possible.
In other business, the board unanimously appointed Vittoria Abbate-Maghsoudi as the director of college and career and adult education to replace Joanne Durkee, who is retiring.
Several Woodside Elementary parents also addressed the board about dissatisfaction with their principal and asked the board to consider a petition they created asking the school district not to transfer three of their favorite teachers elsewhere.
