YouthBuild gets 2-week reprieve

Charleston school district to again try to close charter

Sea Islands YouthBuild Charter School will be able to stay open a little longer, but district officials plan to try to close it again in two weeks.

For the third time this school year, Charleston County school leaders asked the school board to shut down Sea Islands YouthBuild. This time, officials said they were concerned about the school's lack of supervision, instruction and certified staff. They also said students with learning disabilities weren't receiving required services, and student enrollment had dropped to 21 students from 75.

The school board postponed making a decision on what should happen to the small school for at-risk students because officials couldn't answer procedural questions related to its closing. They were unsure of the district's next steps if the board voted to shutter the school. The issue will come before the board at its next meeting in two weeks.

The school district has finished making payments to the school this year, nearly $350,000 total, and it will begin sending money to the school again at the start of the upcoming fiscal year, July 1.

Charter school officials said after the meeting that the district didn't have its facts straight, allegations against the school were untrue and the district wasn't following the law regarding what it took to close the school. They said they haven't received any documentation of the accusations made by the school district.

Michele Forsythe, attorney for Sea Islands YouthBuild, said she plans to contact the district's attorney and ensure proper procedures were followed. The school will fight an attempt to shut it down, she said.

"It's like they put us in their sights and want to get rid of us," said Larry Blasch, chairman of the school's board.

Charleston County School Board member Arthur Ravenel Jr. pounded on his desk and spoke close to his microphone while imploring the board not to close the school. He accused district staff of not helping the school and of harassing officials through constant visitations.

Board member Gregg Meyers, who brought up the procedural questions, said he was sympathetic to the school's mission but questioned its stability and the district's continued financial support.