I was just thinking, if you ever decide to continue covering our story, it might be interesting for you to interview former students like these. 

I think it's also interesting, if not heart-breaking to note the following: AISU has virtually NO bullying. As a group, I believe we attributed that fact to our celebration of diversity, all-inclusive mentality, and sense of unity. Whatever the reason, we never had to worry about our students being bullied. 

Now that these kiddos are all spread around the valley at new schools, they have been exposed to bullying. Especially the younger kids, former students from Kindergarten, through Fifth Grade. Parents have been sharing their stories in our AISU Facebook group daily, and our community supports each other through this tough transition. I personally know a couple of these kids that are being bullied at their new schools, and they are some of the SWEETEST, smartest kiddos you could ever hope to meet. One such boy was a former classmate of my son, and the child of a an AISU employee. When I shared with my son what had happened to his friend, he was so upset and stricken with worry, exclaiming, "How could they do that to Archer? Everybody loves Archer!"

If you ever want to speak with any of the individuals I am referring to, I would be happy to organize that for you so you can connect directly. I know they would all be willing to share with you, following your honest and accurate coverage of our story last Thursday. 

I don't know if you have had a chance to look at any of those documents that sent you, I certainly understand if your schedule has not permitted. If there is just one thing I think you might want to look over, it would be this letter that Assistant Attorney General Kent Burgraaf wrote to your colleague Chris Jones, in response to the lawsuits against the former voluntary board members of AISU to recoup the money still owed for SPED funding. 

This letter really exposes a significant piece of the AISU story, and although he emailed this to Chris Jones almost two weeks ago, there has not been one iota of media coverage about this side of the story. That in and of itself raising serious questions in my mind. I will send you the  attachment again, and if you want to see any of the court/lawsuit docs/evidence that he references within the letter, just let me know and I can send them to you immediately. 

Lastly, I feel compelled to share the following with you, I hope it might provide you with a more comprehensive picture of what my current perspective is on the situation with regard to the USBE and SCSB. 

I have it on good authority that the USBE has been treating the SCSB much like they have treated AISU. They instructed the Charter Board to take the actions that they took along the way, such as by telling them to inform us of the problems which needed to be addressed, but at the same time offering assistance to get things corrected. But when AISU complied, the USBE then would not allow the Charter Board to follow through with said "help" and support. 

Basically, (and this is according to one of the people currently sitting on the Charter Board, Cindy Phillips,) the SCSB may as well not exist, because USBE, which has always had a bias against charters, is acting like judge, jury and executioner, and consequently, SCSB is just another pawn being used in this game the USBE is playing. 

The board member I am referring to is beside herself over the closure, because she feels like if this happened to AISU, what's to prevent it from happening to her Charter, or any other Charter out there. 

So yes, something is rotten in Denmark, but from the research I have done over the last three months, I can only conclude the real power behind what happened to AISU was in the hands of the USBE. 

Also important to note, that same member took the time to write her own letter about the AISU mess and situation between the two boards, which she did send to the legislators. She says so far, those letters have been completely disregarded. 

This was at least round 2 of letters sent to the legislators about the situation. Back in May, our students all wrote letters asking for help to save their school, (I'll attach a picture of those letters.) 

Currently, parents and some staff are gathering steam to send yet another, third round of letters to those legislators, imploring them to re-evaluate the existing structure for governance of charter schools, and the two board system.

They are also gearing up to file a class-action lawsuit, for making the process to successfully run our school an impossible task-ultimately leading to the closure. The collective opinion seems to be that the situation is looking more and more like our kids and staff paid for the  incompetence of the USBE and SCSB.

The following quote was taken from the FaceBook Group, with regard to the boards filing the lawsuits against our former AISU board members. 

"The state is willing to spend more money in legal fees than the school may or may not have owed...due to the state board’s lack of overview and requirements for charter school reporting."

The system is not working. I feel like the chair and board members on the Charter Board are becoming increasingly aware of their disposability. Consequently, the board is nervous and twitchy, probably thinking  about what's coming down the pike, perhaps conflicted about moral obligations and civic duty. 

I think the most honorable thing they could do at this juncture is to recuse themselves from their role in serving Utah charter schools. If in the same breath they would publicly disclose the reason for expending the board, it would shed light on the bully at the top, (USBE). 

I know the meetings come across as cold and the members seem indifferent, but I think that's actually just because they are trying to cover their own behinds. They have tunnel vision and one thing in mind- how to avoid blame for any wrongdoing that occurred, relating to AISU. And how to protect their own charters. 

Again, the recent letter by Kent Burgraaf outlines many details that were not public before and are insightful as to the state, motives, etc.  It is such a travesty on numerous levels.

For a brief moment in time, Utah was on the forefront of education. Utah offered a portal for local kids to be able to participate in their education at an international level. We promoted intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.

We aimed to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who helped to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.

For a brief moment, Utah participated alongside other schools across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Re: Lawsuit.pdf