Politics pulled plug at Arts, Science Academy

My former Valley Arts and Science Academy Board Colleague, Judy Kuipers, stated it best, “Once again, politics over the best interests of children and families.”

I spent five years volunteering as a board member, three of those years as chair of the board, at such an amazing charter school known as VASA. I was sad to learn that just 1  1/2 years after finishing my volunteer board commitment that the school would not be renewing its charter.

I am heartbroken, and I feel the pain of the current VASA Board of Directors, some of whom were my former board colleagues, for making that tough decision. Thank goodness for legal counsel.

Politically, it’s interesting that California Charter Schools Association created a hit list of charter schools that they would not support to re-charter due to low academic progress, VASA being one of those.

I feel helpless in this situation. Yet I wonder if local politics would have also stopped VASA from getting re-chartered? I know one thing for sure, there will always be one “No” vote from Fresno Unified School District’s board of trustees.

I wish everyone who is tied to VASA past and present the very best of luck.

This story was originally published November 30, 2015 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Politics pulled plug at Arts, Science Academy."