Ojai Charter School Proposal Withdrawn

Facing growing community opposition, proponents of a new charter school in Ojai have dropped their plan.

Craig Walker, a teacher at Matilija Junior High School, announced the decision this week at a public forum on the project.

“We felt it didn’t have a chance of getting a fair hearing and an objective decision, based on the climate that was created around it,” said Walker, who had spent six months organizing the proposal he presented to Ojai Unified School District trustees earlier this month.

A report released Sept. 4 by Supt. Van Riley said the school district could lose more than $500,000 in annual state revenue if officials approved the charter school.

That report caused many to worry that the new school would ultimately take money and services from the students remaining in Ojai public schools.

“In concept, there were good things it could have done, but I didn’t think it was fair to benefit a few select students and . . . hurt other schools,” said parent Olga Singer, who organized Monday’s forum.

Doniphan Oaks would have served up to 240 Ojai Unified students and 120 more from private schools and neighboring districts. It would have focused on a project-based curriculum in environmental studies and visual arts.

Walker said it was disappointing to have to pull the plan, as many parents in Ojai were looking forward to a free alternative to public school. Charter schools, run by private citizens, are publicly funded.

He also disagreed with Riley’s analysis of potential lost revenue, insisting that the details could have been worked out.

Riley said that while he believes the charter school proposal had good intentions, it would have significantly hurt the district financially.

School board President Rikki Horne said she spent at least 40 hours researching charter school law, reading the proposal and contemplating the many issues. She said she was dismayed at the suggestion the board would not have given the school a fair hearing.

“I am baffled as to why he didn’t want to go through the whole process,” Horne said. A public hearing on the charter school was planned for Tuesday, and a final decision was to be made Oct. 16.

Walker said there is a chance that parents who supported the school will push for the plan to be resurrected. For now, though, he is backing off. “Maybe when things cool down a bit we can take a different look at it,” he said.