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April 7, 2010 (El Cajon) – The Grossmont Union High School District Board of Trustees has cancelled plans to convene a special public hearing on the Helix Charter High School charter issues. The meeting was slated for April 8 with the possibility of continuing onto the 9th.
The Board issued the following statement regarding the cancellation.
"The Grossmont Union High School District (GUHSD) has postponed the evidentiary hearing on revoking Helix’s charter, scheduled for Thursday, April 8, at 5 p.m., for negotiation purposes. Today was the first meeting of the newly constituted Helix Charter High School Board. The Board reached out to GUHSD to open up new avenues of communication and resolution. If no agreement is reached, the hearing for revocation will proceed on Thursday, April 22, at 5 p.m. at the East County Regional Education Center, located at 924 East Main Street in El Cajon."
Public testimony had been slated on the District’s notice of intent to revoke the Helix charter, as well as whether to approve or deny a petition for renewal of the school’s charter.
Last week, a judge denied a Helix request to halt the charter revocation process.
The District previously considered revoking the charter after four Helix teachers were convicted of sexual misconduct with students, but backed down after administrators and the charter board agreed to changes in procedures to protect students. More recently, a Helix administrator aided a teen student who was reportedly unhappy living with relatives to board a bus and join family in another state. The administrator was arrested and is awaiting trial.
Helix supporters have accused the cash-strapped District of attempting to revoke the charter for financial gain. Superintendent Robert Collins has denied any financial motive and says the charter revocation is under consideration to protect students.
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