In a completely inaccurate lede, AL(dot)com wrote that the threat to Magic City Acceptance Academy's (MCAA) charter stemmed from superficial issues rather than valid concerns about its compliance with state law.
The outlet asserted, "Months after its contract was threatened over a rainbow mural and a map labeling the Gulf of Mexico, an Alabama charter school will stay open."
The real issues, however, were much more alarming and included multiple flagrant violations of state law and objectively questionable behavior, including radically progressive guests and lectures, and alarming news that included a young woman alleging that the former principal offered to pay for her double-mastectomy out of pocket.
MCAA is a state-funded Charter School that, until recently, billed itself as primarily for LGBTQ+ youth and their "allies." It is located in Homewood.
As AL(dot)com wrote, "Between February and March, 1819 published a handful of articles about the school. Republican lawmakers threatened its funding and called for a state investigation," those stories included well-documented proof that the school was not in compliance.
In the story, "Alabama's LGBTQ+ Charter School openly defies DEI ban," documents available on the school's website dated after the law went into effect, and confirmed by school staff to be the most recent, showed the school was still pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion.
The month before that, as reported by 1819 News, the school hosted author Ariel Aberg-Riger for a two-day workshop for its students. In "American Redux," Aberg-Riger states, "Today, the struggle to control the historical narrative continues," later adding, "Some lawmakers are even seeking legislation to remove entire words and concepts from classrooms, such as 'equity,' 'anti-racism,' and 'oppressor vs. oppressed."
The book's publisher noted, "At a time when books that challenge whitewashed history are coming under fire from censors, this is a vitally important work that dares to tell the truth."
The school openly bragged about multiple guests who presented extreme concepts on gender and sexuality, including Flap Jack the Drag Queen and Robert Garofalo, a pediatrician who started one of the nation's first "gender clinics." The school also accepted piles of books that show pornographic and sexually explicit content.
At the time of that reporting, State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville), the original sponsor for the state's "divisive concepts" bill, which was reintroduced by State Sen. Will Barfoot (R-Pike Road), strengthened, passed and signed into law in 2024, said of MCAA, "It's not only not trying to hide it; it's their selling point."
RELATED: Five things to know about Magic City Acceptance Academy as lawmakers review funding
The facility, administration, and board remain largely the same. The school repainted and revised the phrasing in its documents. "We changed the mission statement, the vision, the logos. We changed everything because of the law," administrators told the Charter School Commission.
While the school underwent a rebranding, officials made it clear this week that, for the most part, nothing substantive has changed.
"And at some point, our mission was, you know, it did include a segment that said, we are affirming to LGBTQ people. We are still affirming to all people. But we have taken that out. We're affirming to all people. We are affirming to our Black students, we are affirming to our Hispanic students. We are affirming to our LGBTQ students, which are in every school in this state," officials said to the Charter School Commission.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email [email protected]
Don't miss out! Subscribe to our newsletter and get our top stories every weekday morning or become a member to gain access to exclusive content and 1819 News merch.
