Charter school suspends two administrators

Amid investigations and allegations of mismanagement, the board of an embattled Northeast Philadelphia charter school voted unanimously last night to suspend the school's founder and a former CEO.

The decision was made before 250 people, many of them parents, who packed the Philadelphia Academy Charter School lunchroom to speak about the controversy surrounding the school's founder, Brien N. Gardiner, and former chief executive officer Kevin M. O'Shea. The two were suspended with pay pending the results of an internal investigation.

The parents clapped, whistled and wept during the proceeding, some of them saying they were worried that the controversy might cause their school to close. Others called for the administration and all six members of the board to resign.

Earlier this week, The Inquirer reported that the Philadelphia School District's inspector general is investigating the charter school on allegations of fiscal mismanagement, nepotism, and conflicts of interest involving companies started by Gardiner.

Numerous charter and business entities enabled Gardiner and O'Shea to earn more than most school superintendents in the region. O'Shea, a former police officer with only a high school diploma, was paid $206,137 last year. After The Inquirer began asking officials questions last week, the board demoted him.

Gardiner and O'Shea were present at the meeting, but did not speak. They sat at a long table surrounded by supporters.

Also present were lawyers from the prominent Philadelphia law firm Ballard Spahr, recently hired by the board to guide it through the investigations.

On Wednesday, the School Reform Commission agreed to delay its vote on renewing the school's five-year charter.

The school will remain open during the investigations.

Last night, the board heard from some of the parents of the 1,200 students in kindergarten through 12th grade who attend classes in buildings at 11000 Roosevelt Blvd. and 1700 Tomlinson Rd.

"This is a scandal of immense proportions," said John McGrody. "It has turned into a dogfight."

Michael Tuckerman said he was happy with the education his children receive, but shocked at the recent revelations about their school.

"There are no words for the disgust we felt when we found out about all the alleged fiscal mismanagement," Tuckerman said.

He took the board to task.

"I find it hard to believe the alleged mismanagement happened without your consent," he said.

Another parent, Bill Ellis, said he was confused by all that he had read, but sure of a few things.

"If they did something wrong, I hope they go to prison," Ellis said. "But the teachers are great, and the last thing I want to do is put my daughter in another school because of someone being greedy."

If he engaged in the behavior the school's leadership allegedly is accused of, "I'd be locked up, fired, and put in jail," Ellis said.

Jeanine Jones wondered why, with the money the school could afford to pay O'Shea and Gardiner, it didn't have better computer labs. She also blasted the board's decision to permit someone with just a high school education to lead the school.

"I don't understand why he's in an educational position, with children," Jones said. "The fact that he's raking in all this money on the public's dollar is ridiculous."

Others pointedly thanked the board, particularly board president Rosemary DiLacqua, who has vowed to cooperate fully with any investigation and said she was troubled by the allegations and apparent conflicts.

Board supporters suggested a small group of discontented parents were to blame for stirring the pot and casting aspersions on their school.

Parent Marie McClay took a step back, looked at the packed lunchroom, and said: "There's a lot of emotion tonight. There's fear. There's anxiety. There's hurt. There's joy."

Then she spoke to Gardiner: "Brien, I find you to be an honorable man with incredible vision. I'm going to trust that until I hear differently."

But McClay urged the board to make certain it did not lose teachers over the controversy, to make sure parents were given a voice. She suggested the board change its makeup - members are elected with no specific terms, and the leadership has not changed for years, she said.

Parents also talked about the good things they see happening at the school. They described administrators who took time to comfort sobbing kindergartners, who stepped in to help special-needs children, who personally knew their families.

"I can't say enough about this school," Tara Cook said. "If anything happens to this school, my family and all the friends I have in this community are talking about moving."

But Brian King urged his fellow parents to "separate what goes on with the teachers and how they help our children with these accusations."

"We may like and know the people involved, that have been in the news, but some serious allegations remain," King said.