I have written before about an effort by a group led by Pasquale Battaglia to get Brighton Area Schools (BAS) to charter his “American Classical Academies” school. This group used to call them “American Christian Academies” before changing the name, and only the name, to avoid being seen for what they are: a tea party influenced school steeped in religion, pretending to be something else in order to rake in state tax dollars.
Last year, BAS sold their Lindbom Elementary School building to Battaglia’s group for $1.45 million. So far, nobody has been able to determine where the money came from. Now they are working overtime to convince the BAS board to charter their school. The issue will be discussed next Monday, January 26th, at the BAS Board meeting and concerned parents in the school district will be there to express their vigorous and understandable opposition to the move. If you are in the BAS area, you are invited to join them.
From one of the opponents:
We are gathering at the Monday, January 26th school board meeting to oppose our district’s chartering the American Classical Academy at Lindbom.Our focus is to stop any further discussion between our board and the ACA or Mr. Battaglia.
If you are comfortable speaking at the podium, we suggest focusing on the risk such a partnership involves: financial risks, risks to our Brighton brand and honor, risks to safety, and risks of litigation.
If you are not comfortable speaking, please show up in support. Numbers are important to impress upon our board the seriousness of our purpose.
We are at a critical juncture. Guns (a recently revealed Battaglia Tweet describes plans to train and and arm teachers) are not acceptable in a school associated with our district. Please spread the word. Invite all supporters to join us. We need to make some noise to end once and for all the ill-conceived and threatening possibility of partnering with ACA.
The tweet mentioned is this one by Battaglia last year:
@TxAv8r @jjauthor @hankishtwit @shootingfurfun @AlverezAmanda @DrMartyFox I develop schools I want well trained, armed teachers in classes.
— Pasquale Battaglia (@BattagliaPat) April 4, 2014
A look at Battaglia’s Twitter timeline reveals a man steeped in tea party hatred of President Obama, liberals, Democrats, Muslims, and those concerned about gun violence in America. He is the last person anyone would want running a school but that’s exactly what he wants to do. And he wants to do it with YOUR tax dollars.
If you are in the Brighton area, please join these parents as the fight against the truly terrible idea and help them stop BAS from chartering the ACA school in their district.
