The Star-News of Wilmington filed an open records lawsuit Thursday against Charter Day School, Inc. over financial records. The paper asked for the records in May.
Charter Day School Inc. is a non-profit corporation that operates several charters chools in the Wilmington area. As part of all charter schools agreement with the state, the schools agree to abide by the N.C. Public Records Law. In May, the Star-News asked for financial documents as well as salaries of key employees from Charter Day School. The non-profit handed over some information, but has withheld other documents.
The dispute largely centers on the role of Roger Bacon Academy in running Charter Day School’s charter schools. Roger Bacon Academy is a for-profit corporation that was organized by the same people who founded Charter Day School. Roger Bacon Academy contracts with the non-profit to run some aspects of the schools. The school corporation has declined to turn over salary information for top level school administrators who are employed by Roger Bacon Academy.
The lawsuit comes after months of back-and-forth between the two parties. In the meantime, the state legislature clarified charter schools responsibilities for reporting salary information, making it explicitly clear that charter schools are subject to the public records law.
Read the Star-News coverage here.