Maureen Downey tells the story on her blog at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Georgia was late opening charters so it has not seen scandals like Ohio and Florida. Here is the first big one.
She writes:
“An AJC story this week reveals troubling allegations about the much heralded Atlanta Latin Academy and its charismatic and well-regarded founder Chris Clemons.
“Police have called Clemons a suspect in the disappearance of $600,000 from the school.
That is likely to shock people who knew him. The Georgia Charter Schools Association describes Clemons as “visionary” on its website.
“A 2007 profile of him by a MIT publication — Clemons holds a MBA from the prestigious school — quotes a former colleague as saying, “He’s brilliant. I don’t know anyone who can keep up with his mind…If he believes in something, watch out. The sky is the limit for him.”
AJC reporter Molly Bloom wrote:
“Atlanta police are investigating the alleged theft of more than half a million dollars from a charter school, according to a police report.
“More than $600,000 was taken from Atlanta Latin Academy bank and credit card accounts through ATM withdrawals to pay for dinners, nonwork-related travel, bonuses to employees and “personal entertainment at local nightclubs, ” according to the report.
“School founder Chris Clemons and the school‘s operations director were the only staff members with access to both accounts, school board chairman Kaseem Ladipo said.”
At this point, Clemons is the only suspect.
Welcome, Georgia, to the wonderful new world of charters, where public money mysteriously disappears.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
You can buy a lot of “vision” for $600 large …
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Just $600K. These guys are amateurs.
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That’s what the big dogs do, throw the small fry crooks under the bus so they can continue to steal and fleece public monies. As in American style politics, the survival of the riches, all others be damn.
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“Welcome, Georgia, to the wonderful new world of charters, where children and money mysteriously disappear.”
That’s a big TAGO, Diane!
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Hi all, Here is another problem in Arizona. A Charter school that doesn’t make their players attend school. Here is the link: https://arizonavarsity.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1818465 Hopefully, it works for you. They tried to take it down, I think. It’s Hillcrest and the charter school company is Starshine. It’s time these charter schools were held accountable.
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Glad to hear truth telling. HOWEVER the line: “Welcome, Georgia, to the wonderful new world of charters, where children and money mysteriously disappear.” is really not cool! 😦
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Why not? It’s what is happening.
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Missing children should not be said in the same breath as missing money:(
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Yes, it should!
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Have you read about the huge number of young people in New Orleans–an almost completely charter district–who are neither attending school nor working? They’ve just fallen off the radar.
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If guilty, they should be prosecuted. No room for this in public, private or charter schools.
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A week before this a charter high school in Atlanta closed it’s doors because of lack of enrollment. It looks like it knew it’s numbers were dismal during the summer but went ahead and took the taxpayer’s money before it pulled the plug.
http://getschooled.blog.ajc.com/2015/10/02/ivy-prep-charter-network-will-close-its-high-schools-this-month/
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How many other charter schools have had money disappear? Is there a list? Is there a list of charter schools that have closed due to illegal practices?
Thank you. Susybelle Gosslee League of Women Voters of Dallas I was in the audience at TCU when you last spoke.
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Was a consulting firm from Boston called Education Resource Strategies contracted by the District School Superintendent? Why is Georgia going Achievement School District (Charter)? The Tennessee Achievement School District was a dismal failure.
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