Woodland just wants school's money

Here is what readers need to know about the Woodland school board's lawsuit against the Prairie Crossing Charter School: the Woodland school board wants Prairie Crossing's money.

Prairie Crossing is an innovative, nationally recognized charter school that has been providing quality educations to children of the Woodland and Fremont school districts for 15 years. It is open to all students in the two districts, tuition-free with no admission criteria.

Last year, the State Charter School Commission fully vetted every aspect of Prairie Crossing and voted to renew its charter in conformance with the provisions of state law. During this process, lawyers for the Woodland school board asked the commission cut the charter school's funding by 25 percent (about $775,000) and give it to Woodland.

The commission declined and the Woodland school board sued to close the school and take it all.

Ironically, closing the school doesn't even help Woodland. Yes, it would get all of Prairie Crossing's money, but it would also get their kids and the cost of educating them. There would be no financial windfall.

The lawsuit to close the school will be lengthy, going through two if not three legal rounds. Hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money will end up being wasted on legal fees, rather than being used to improve the educational opportunities available to families in their district.

Prairie Crossing has been meeting the needs of hundreds of community families for years. Next week, the Woodland school board is asking voters to go to the polls to raise their taxes and give the school board more money. Each voter has to decide for him or herself whether the board is truly representing the interests of parents and taxpayers.

Greg Richmond, Chairman

State Charter School Commission