Thursday, April 16, 2015

As promised . . . following up on Andrew Marra's news on rejected charter school: the Lake Worth Classical Academy

First, congratulations to the new school opening soon in the City of Lake Worth, the Classical Christian Academy (CCA). I've been in contact with Bonnie Fanelli and helped promote one of their meetings last month. What's so special about this school is their principled stance, regardless of anyone's personal views on school and religion. They are not seeking charter school status and relying on taxpayer dollars to educate children; tax dollars come with strings and consequences. This sort of effort is gaining traction around the country and was recently an article in the venerable New York Times.

Also, today's edition of The Lake Worth Herald has an article on the CCA. Here is an excerpt:
The Classical Christian Academy of the Palm Beaches located at 128 North C Street will be opening August of 2015 with kindergarten through fifth grade. The school will be using the facilities of Lake Worth First Church of the Nazarene, but will be operating as an independent non-denominational private school. [emphasis added] There are around 169 private schools in the county. This school is distinctly different because it is the only classical Christian school in the county.
This effort by CCA stands in contrast to another effort to start a school teaching the classics called the Lake Worth Classical Academy (LWCA). The LWCA went the route of becoming a charter school and that idea failed. Here is what Andrew Marra reported in The Palm Beach Post:
     Also Wednesday, the Board of Education upheld the school board’s decision to reject another charter school: Lake Worth Classical Academy [emphasis added], which proposed to teacher Latin and Greek language and literary classics.
     The school board had determined the school’s plan was not financially viable, in part because it depended on winning private grants and donations. The school’s managers appealed, but the board of education unanimously vote to reject the appeal.
Most everyone familiar with this issue knows the proposed LWCA is the brainchild of Ms. Margaret Menge. She writes this in August of last year:
     The charter application is in and we are swiftly moving forward with plans for the Lake Worth Classical Academy.
     There's a lot to be done. But I remain undaunted. I am willing to do whatever it takes to establish this model of excellence in the Lake Worth community. Are we returning to an "old-style" of education? Well, yes. In a way. We are going to reintroduce the rigor, the in-depth study of history and the high standards that were hallmarks of public education in America until around the 1940s.
It would be interesting to know what Ms. Menge believes happened in the 1940's to the public school systems around the country. And the irony isn't lost that she's asking for tax dollars to teach her own version of "high standards". Ever since January 16th of this year, starting with Vol. 1/Issue 1 of her tabloid, the people of Lake Worth have been regaled by her 'high standards'—her fascination with suicide and a complete lack of understanding of a government processto name just two. Trust me when I say there are many other examples.

If Ms. Menge, or anyone for that matter, had instead proposed a charter school to teach Guatemalan adults how to speak English or immigrants how to assimilate into our culture she/they would have had broad support in our community, myself included. Maybe someone can start that debate in the City of Lake Worth.

The opening soon of the Lake Worth Classical Christian Academy demonstrates there is much support for this type of instruction for children. If you have an interest in this or would like to help them out I'm sure they could use volunteers and most certainly they'll need money too. Here is their address and phone number:

128 North C Street
Lake Worth, FL 33460
(561) 469-9470

If I receive any news from the CCA will pass it along and will certainly try to attend their grand opening in August.

Good luck and welcome to the City of Lake Worth!