Acero charter school leadership said nothing Wednesday evening to a crowd of parents, teachers, students and city officials asking them to keep open several schools slated for closure.
At a packed board meeting in Idar Elementary gym in Gage Park, students directly called out Richard Rodriguez, Acero’s president and chief executive officer — who did not comment.
“This is deeply disappointing, because we are supposed to look up to you, Mr. Rodriguez,” said Sandra Cisneros Elementary student America Murillo Chavez, 14. “You come from a Hispanic background. You know the big American dream.”
The silence from the charter executives comes at a contentious time for Chicago Public Schools, just five days after Acero threatened to pursue legal action against school board members if they were to engage in “any defamatory, slanderous, libel, or other actionable conduct or communications causing harm to Acero, its agents and representatives.”
Acero executives announced plans to close seven of the 15 schools in the charter network on Oct. 9. Since then, students and parents have repeatedly pushed back, saying they hadn’t known about the closures before the announcement. The shuttering of Acero schools has remained a point of contention at school board meetings for weeks.
About 80% of the 2,000 students who will be affected by the potential closures are Latino. Speakers at Wednesday’s meeting stressed the importance of Acero’s mission to support English language and migrant students.
“What about our newcomers? These students were promised a safe environment to learn and grow. After building healthy social relationships with staff and peers, they will not be forced to start over at another school,” said Cisneros teacher Mary Rocco.
In October, Acero leadership said the decision to close almost half the schools in the network was made because of declining enrollment, changes in the neighborhoods the schools serve and inadequate spaces to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
But the network’s financial structure is debt-laden, said Pavlyn Jankov, research director for the Chicago Teachers Union. According to financial information from Sept. 30, Acero Charter Schools, Inc. holds $46 million in cash reserves, he said.
Acero has not used these reserves to support its schools, Jankov said, instead prioritizing pleasing bondholders.
“Why wouldn’t you use those reserves for this very moment?” Jankov asked. “That’s what reserves are supposed to be for. It’s supposed to be to help your organization in times of duress.”
Though charter schools are publicly funded, they are authorized and overseen by the district.
The current six-member Board of Education says the district should take every measure it can to keep the seven schools open, whether it’s absorbing the schools or forcing Acero to invest in them. The district argues it has followed the same standard procedures as other charter schools that have closed in the past.
Wednesdsay night, teachers said CPS needs to do more to help support displaced families and students.
“Since the announcement of these potential closures, no one from the board or central office has been to our school to support our students and families… Not one,” said Amanda Hass, a case manager at Esmeralda Santiago Elementary in Ukrainian Village.
Public criticism of the district’s response to the Acero closures has ramped up recently as the CPS schools chief’s job has been on the line for months over his refusal to take out a $300 million high-interest loan. The loan — requested by the mayor — would have covered ongoing teachers contract negotiations and a pension payment previously paid for by the city.
At the Board of Education meeting on Dec. 4, multiple members questioned how transparent Acero has been about its finances
“Some time ago … there was an audit presented to the Board of Education. The financials were faulty,” said board member Frank Thomas. “They were not bargaining in good faith. It is basically against the law as an entity to give a financial statement that is faulty, and you know it.”
Board member Debby Pope also chimed in: “We, CPS are here about your children, and Acero is here about your bottom line, and those are two very different concerns.”
Acero’s attorney Joseph J. Perkoski sent a letter to the Board of Education’s general counsel two days later demanding board members cease and desist communications that are “false, misleading, and defamatory — not to mention unproductive given the seriousness of the situation that Acero is earnestly addressing with Chicago Public Schools administrators.”
Failure to do so would result in a legal action, said Perkoski.
The letter says that Acero has consistently complied with its annual audit obligations and that there is no evidence of fraud or criminal behavior, despite board members’ suggestions otherwise. It reinforces that Acero remains committed to working with CPS to explore options. The district has met with the charter operator over 20 times since the closures were announced, according to sources close to Acero.
“The Chicago Board of Education and District leadership will continue to work toward the best possible solution to support Acero families and students impacted by this charter’s decision to close schools,” said a district spokeswoman in a statement.
The district is expected to present options for the families of the students affected by the Acero school closures at a board meeting on Thursday. Acero officials did not show up at the last meeting, and it remains to be seen if they will show up at this one.
Wednesday night, Ald. Jeylu Gutierrez, 14th, condemned the Acero leadership’s silence.
“The families, educators and staff here today deserve more than silence. They deserve clarity, dignity and a real plan for the future of their children,” she said.
Despite receiving no answers Wednesday night, Acero parent Angelica Juarez — who has a fifth-grader and kindergartener at Carlos Fuentes Elementary, an Acero school in the Avondale neighborhood — believes the fight that parents have made so far might actually lead somewhere.
“It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, but above all, I will stay optimistic,” Juarez said.
nsalzman@chicagotribune.com
