Patrick Henry charter school gets OK to use church

[underpants]

Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch

Patrick Henry School of Science and Arts officials won a victory last night as the Richmond School Board narrowly approved their request to use Woodland Heights Baptist Church as a temporary location.

After hearing public speakers on both sides of the issue, board members voted 5-4 in favor of using the church building at 611 W. 31st St., a few blocks from the school building on Semmes Avenue.

Charter school officials haven't been able to renovate the school building in time for it to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards for incoming students.


Jane Ellis, director of charter school lending for the North Carolina-based Center for Community Self-Help, spoke at yesterday afternoon's board work session. She revealed that Self-Help sent a commitment letter to provide a two-year loan of $200,000 to Patrick Henry's board for first-year renovations.

Read more: http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/local/article/RSKL04_20100503-234802/341982/

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Awards
Over the years Self-Help has received numerous awards for its work, from organizations such as Preservation North Carolina<3>, the North Carolina Department of Commerce, and the Triangle Commercial Real Estate Women.<4>

In 2007, Self-Help was named one of the twelve high-impact nonprofits in the book Forces For Good along with other organizations such as America's Second Harvest, Habitat for Humanity, The Heritage Foundation, and Teach for America.<5>

In June 2009, Self-Help won the Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award, which "recognizes and promotes credit unions’ social responsibility efforts within the communities they serve."<6>

In 2009, AARP awarded Self-Help founder and CEO Martin Eakes an Inspire Award, which "pays tribute to ten extraordinary people age 50 and over who have made the world a better place through their innovative thinking, passion, and perseverance." Other 2009 winners included Glenn Close, Quincy Jones, and Alma Powell.<7>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Community_Self-Help

[WhiteTara]

1. so begins the madrassas in the US

quietly, very quietly. Turn the education system in to for profit and place it in the confines of some religion.

[KamaAina]

2. Great. Use the disabled as an excuse.

Just like with electronic voting ("but the old machines aren't accessible!")

Charter school officials haven't been able to renovate the school building in time for it to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards for incoming students.

So don't open 'til next year! :grr: :banghead:

[mwooldri]

3. What's the problem with running a school in a church building?

It is just a building.

If there is to be a clear separation from church and state then simple: church artifacts and literature are to be stored away on school days.

Guilford County Schools rent out their school auditoriums and other rooms to start-up churches or other churches needing a temporary home. So if it's OK for schools to host a church on Sundays (when school is closed), isn't it OK to have school in a church building (which is otherwise closed and not used for religious purposes during school hours anyway?)

Obviously Woodland Heights Baptist Church has plenty of room available to host the school... their "Sunday School" rooms can easily be de-religionized. Probably can't de-religionize the main worship area easily... but the school doesn't have to use the main worship area. (Though most Baptist churches IIRC aren't exactly ordaned with a lot of religious artifacts anyway).