Despite controversy and concerns surrounding its operations over the past several years, the Alabama Public School Charter Commission recently voted to allow the Magic City Acceptance Academy, described by one media outlet as “the state’s only LGBTQ+ friendly charter school,” to remain open for the foreseeable future.
Like many fellow Christian conservatives across Alabama, I have followed reports of questionable actions by the school with interest, hoping that it might be forced to shutter its doors and end what I believe is an unhealthy social indoctrination of its students.
For the unaware, charter schools are taxpayer-funded public schools that are allowed more flexibility in the way they teach in return for meeting certain performance standards, and they must apply for renewal every few years.
News outlets have recently detailed a series of concerning incidents at Magic City Acceptance Academy that include:
- A book that documented an offer by the school’s former principal to personally help fund a double mastectomy operation for a female student who wanted to “transition” to a man.
- An appearance by Flap Jack the Drag Queen who instructed students about “drag fashion” and posted on social media that “It's always a great day when I can combine my passions for drag and education!”
- A refusal by the school to comply with the state’s law banning Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and divisive concepts by hosting the author of “American Redux” for a two-day workshop with students. The book is described as being “made up of 21 visual stories—from AIDS activists to colonial propagandists, televangelists to Indigenous teens fighting for climate justice,” and is filled with startling examples of the exact divisive concepts the DEI statute deems inappropriate for classroom study.
- The use of books and materials promoting the LGBTQ agenda, some of which are targeted toward children as young as ages one to five, that most parents across Alabama would find inappropriate for schools and classrooms.
- Hosting a presentation by Dr. Robert Garofalo, a pediatrician specializing in so-called “gender-affirming care” for children, who was once quoted as saying, “My real hope is that in just a few years the care that we provide will be viewed not as specialized or remarkable, but just routine.”
- Selling shirts in its MCAA online shop that read “Say Gay” and “My Pronouns Are” and contain gay pride emblems.
As a firm believer in the First Amendment and the free expression of ideas – even those with which I vehemently disagree – individuals have the right to advocate for the beliefs detailed above, but they do not have the right to use taxpayer-funded buildings and facilities, taxpayer-funded materials, taxpayer-funded instructors, taxpayer-funded resources, or any other form of taxpayer dollars to do it.
If they want to advocate for those things, school administrators should refuse all public funding and transition to a private school.
Much like a fast food restaurant that cleans up its act when the health inspector is on the way, as the date for its charter renewal hearing drew near, Magic City Acceptance Academy went to work painting over its rainbow symbols, scrubbing its website, updating its handbook, and removing the many things that might be found inappropriate.
During the hearing, the school’s CEO seemed intent on revising history and downplayed the school’s almost singular, tunnel-vision focus on the LGBTQ community, proclaiming, instead, a newfound desire to be “affirming to all people … and to embrace all of the students that we have in front of us.”
Despite the very public concerns that have arisen throughout its existence, Magic City Acceptance Academy was awarded a five-year renewal by the charter school commission, and while I have two appointees on the panel, neither of them participated in the final vote.
I have expressed my strong displeasure to each, but their votes would not have changed the outcome as only one member of the 13-member commission voted against renewing the charter.
Negative fallout from the renewal has been quite vocal, and calls to closely monitor the school to ensure it maintains compliance have been loud, but many worry that it will backslide to its inappropriate, woke advocacy agenda.
Current law prohibits the removal of commissioners unless they are derelict in their duties or refuse to perform their jobs, but I am among a group of officials in Montgomery who are discussing changes to the statute that will make the charter school commission more accountable for its decisions and actions.
In the meantime, I am certain that concerned taxpayers and committed conservatives will continue keeping a watchful eye on the Acceptance Academy, sounding the alarm when it crosses the line between education and indoctrination.
Will Ainsworth is the Lieutenant Governor of Alabama.
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of 1819 News. To comment, please send an email with your name and contact information to [email protected].
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