Published in the June 22 – July 5, 2016 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
The California Superior Court voted in favor of Voices College-Bound Language Academy, validating the charter public school’s petition in Morgan Hill and allowing the school to continue operating under the petition approved by the Santa Clara County Board of Education.
In April 2015, Morgan Hill Unified School District filed a lawsuit against the County Board of Education and County Office of Education seeking to force the county to set aside or revoke the school’s charter petition. Morgan Hill argued that the county abused its discretion in authorizing the petition, alleging that there was not sufficient evidence supporting the petitioners’ likelihood to successfully implement the program. Morgan Hill argued that since MHUSD and county staff found Voices’ petition lacking, the county board should have done so as well.
The trial court rejected all of Morgan Hill’s arguments. The court acknowledged that the Charter Schools Act encourages the approval of charter schools, and found that the county had independent authority to evaluate the petition.
