Fed up with what they felt was a lack of communication and improper management, teachers and staff at Cherokee Charter Academy held a sit-in Wednesday morning.
Approximately 35-40 teachers and staff participated after reaching a boiling point with administration and management.
The boiling point?
The firing of the MTSS director Wednesday morning who had been on the job for two weeks.
Several teachers alleged the director was fired after asking questions about the school’s budget. They said they have asked for the budget for eight months after supply shelves remain empty and physical education teachers’ request for “basketballs that bounce” was denied.
Issues have been arising since around November, one teacher stated, and the sudden departure of the former director, Tessa Waldrep, in January seemed to make those issues worse.
Cherokee Charter Academy is a public charter school managed by Tutledge Education Solutions.
Tutledge CEO Tony Helton held a two-hour meeting with those teachers and numerous concerned parents, however, The Ledger was not allowed in the meeting.
Those in the meeting stated it was “chaotic” and “went around in circles” with questions remaining unanswered.
School administration did promise to send out the budget by the end of the week.
Helton said the school is undergoing change after losing the school director, but after hearing concerns from parents and teachers, they will be making solid changes to make the school run more efficiently.
He further stated the concerns about finances from the teachers was news to him.
Students were never left unattended as each classroom has an assistant, teachers stated.
Parents flocked to the school to pick up their children upon hearing about the sit-in, with numerous stating in passing conversations, “I hope they figure this out, my kid loves this school.”
The teachers echoed those sentiments and hope the issues can be resolved.
More details on the situation will be released soon.
