Attorney General Lawrence Wasden received four complaints about an April 11 closed-door Idaho Public Charter School Commission meeting, the Idaho Press reported.
Wasden is investigating the meeting, to determine whether the state commission violated Idaho’s Open Meeting Law. On Monday, spokesman Scott Graf provided no information on when the investigation might be finished.
Betsy Russell of the Idaho Press reported on the four complaints Friday. The complaints came from Heritage Academy, a Jerome charter school; a lawyer representing the academy; Amy White, an attorney who provides extensive legal work for schools; and Briana LeClaire, the wife of Tom LeClaire, president of the Idaho Coalition of Charter School Families.
The commission accidentally released a recording of the two-hour meeting in June. The commissioners’ remarks from the meeting have triggered a backlash from charter school advocates.
During the meeting, commissioners lamented lax accounting and subpar academic performance at several charter schools, including Heritage Academy. Citing the school’s test scores, commission chair Alan Reed voiced regret that Heritage Academy is still open.
The commission — comprised of appointees selected by the governor and legislative leaders — is the authorizing body for most of Idaho charter schools, including Heritage Academy.
