Nominee for headline that misses the point of the whole story.
October 31, 2008 - "Sex Scandals Prompt Call For School Board Member's Resignation"
Helix High School board want either the resignation, censure or apology of a Grossmont Union High School District board member.
Helix officials sent a letter asking for the resignation of trustee Jim Kelly because he accused Helix of covering up teacher-student sex scandals.
At a news conference last week, Kelly said the La Mesa charter school is hiding information regarding two incidents of teachers having sexual relationships with students.The above article was based upon this San Diego Union-Tribune story.
The two cases are in addition to the four Helix teachers who have already been convicted of having sex with students in past two years, Kelly said.
The Grossmont Union High School District has limited oversight over Helix, a charter school in La Mesa where four former teachers have been convicted of sex crimes involving students in two years.-------------------------
Kelly and two candidates he's supporting for the Grossmont governing board, Meg Jedynak and Gary Woods, have said or strongly implied at public meetings and at a news conference Kelly called last week that six cases have occurred and that Helix High officials are hiding information and refusing to cooperate with a district investigation. Helix officials insist the school is cooperating and that they know of only the four cases.
TT - We call Helix the High School from Hell. Entry
It seems to us that Jim Kelly is the only Grossmont Union High School District governing board member acting responsibly. You can understand two teachers being sentenced for having sex with students, but four??? Without a single change in management of the school and without any public censure. Something is decidedly odd at the school, and if Kelly knows of two other cases that may not have resulted in criminal charges but amount to teacher misconduct with students, it ought to be public knowledge.
School boards have oversight over charter schools. Even limited oversight allows them to publicly criticize the charter school without inviting litigation from victims or their parents. Frankly, we're surprised that no one has sued them yet. If parents don't want the publicity that comes with a lawsuit against Helix, someone should hold them accountable. Because no one is so far. Except Jim Kelly.
This is another reason why states should have disciplinary actions online. California does not.
A charter school should not be publicly funded but run like a private school.
