Cairo Association of Teachers - Newsletter

CAT Tracks for October 25, 2006 A LICENSE TO STEAL

Make that a "charter"...

Further evidence that charter schools are no different from public schools!

From The Enquirer...

Ex-DuBois official accused of theft, fraud

BY SHARON COOLIDGE, JENNIFER MROZOWSKI AND DENISE SMITH AMOS
ENQUIRER STAFF WRITERS

The founder of one of the state's top charter schools was indicted Monday, accused of stealing money from W.E.B. Dubois Academy and inflating student enrollment, bringing undeserved state money to the school.

Wilson Willard, 37, the school's founder who most recently served as an adviser, was indicted by a Hamilton County grand jury on six charges of theft, two charges of unauthorized use of property, two charges of tampering with records and two charges of telecommunications fraud.

A warrant was issued for his arrest.

Willard, who resigned Oct. 16, is accused of taking $24,000 from the academy to finance a home remodeling project and an additional $20,000 through unauthorized money transfers. He also is accused of inflating enrollment numbers submitted to the Ohio Department of Education.

It's unclear whether the school will remain open.

Terry Ryan, vice president for Ohio programs and policy at the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, which oversees school operations, said the foundation's board will discuss the academy's future next week.

"This will not interfere with our commitment to provide students with a superior education," board President Edward L. Burdell said in a prepared statement.

Ryan, whose organization took over sponsorship of the school in July 2005, said he knew the school was being investigated but didn't know the extent of the allegations.

"I have to say, in truthfulness, if the accusations prove true, we were misled, as were the board of trustees and the 300 or so families that trusted Wilson Willard to educate their children," he said.

The indictment comes as the charter school movement continues to struggle with low achievement in its schools and mounting criticism.

Less than two weeks ago, a group of charter advocates, including the Fordham Foundation, released a report saying too many Ohio charters were failing and more accountability was needed.

Dubois was different. It operates in one of the city's poorest neighborhoods and was consistently rated excellent.

Under Willard, the school was a six-day-a-week operation, with activities as diverse as chess and tae kwon do offered during the day. Students begin class at 7 a.m. and don't leave until 5 p.m. or later, often attending classes or events on Saturdays.

The charges come after a yearlong investigation that started with an audit by state Auditor Betty Montgomery, who began looking at the school's finances after getting a complaint.

Montgomery alerted authorities earlier this year.

The charges allege that Willard took $24,000 to pay contractors, set up four phony charter school accounts and then stole $20,000 from those accounts and took money from the state for students not enrolled at the school, Assistant Hamilton County Prosecutor Andrew Berghausen said.

The audit is not over, Montgomery said. The school could be required to pay back money it unfairly got from the state.

Burdell said the academy cooperated with the state and that Willard has not been involved in daily operations since the end of the last school year.

"There's nothing in (the indictment) that attaches at all to the academic side of the operation," he said.

School financial troubles became public in June when officials made cuts to stay open. They eliminated 18 jobs, totaling about $700,000 in salaries and benefits.

The cuts included firing Willard as superintendent, although he remained in an advisory role, making $48,000 a year until his resignation.

Ryan said a thorough background check of Willard was done. "We thought we were taking over what was the top (charter) school in Ohio," he said. "It's fair to say we were pretty naïve."

Still, Ryan said, it's a sad day for the school's families and people who support charter schools.

Word spread quickly among parents picking up children after school Monday.

Several parents were dismayed but said they hope it doesn't affect the future of the school.

Jashia Britten, of the West End, said her ninth-grade daughter hopes to graduate from the school. She plays chess, was recently elected president of her class, and her chemistry teacher just praised her in class.

"As long as the school is there and it's not threatening to close, my daughter will continue to come here," she said. "She's happy, and she's making A's and B's."

The accusations facing Willard bring shame to an otherwise good school, Britten said.

Other parents were shocked but said the indictment didn't change their perception about the academic reputation of the school or Willard's record as a hands-on principal and educator.

"I think he was dedicated to the kids," said Sylvia Sally, a Price Hill parent whose three children attend the school. "If there was a problem, a teacher wouldn't call you, he'd call you himself."

In convicted, Willard would face 23 years in prison.