The Princeton International Charter School (PIACS), which filed a suit against three school districts alleging that they had overstepped their authority in efforts to block the formation of the full immersion English-Mandarin charter school, lost its case November 18 in the Office of Administrative Law.
The administrative law judge ruled that the three districts, West Windsor-Plainsboro, Princeton, and South Brunswick, were within their “discretionary authority” to challenge PIACS through zoning challenges, lobbying, and similar activities. The ruling will be submitted to acting education commission Christopher Cerf, who can alter the decision as he sees fit. If he takes no action in 45 days, the administrative law judge’s decision will be final.
In a prepared statement, WW-P School Board president Hemant Marathe said that the ruling by Administrative Law judge Lisa James-Beavers “is a complete vindication of the school district position to represent the best interest of taxpayers and children. We are very pleased with the decision and hope the commissioner will affirm this decision.
“We believe allowing PIACS to open is an unwise use of taxpayer money in these tough economic times. PIACS has already spent over $75,000 in grant money without completing a single application. The commissioner needs to examine running of PIACS over the past two years and hold them accountable for their actions. The taxpayers in communities served by the three school districts deserve relief from the unfunded mandate of a boutique charter school.”
The attorney representing the charter school in the legal action, Tom Abbate of DeCotiis, FitzPatrick & Cole, issued the following statement:
“We strongly disagree with the judge’s decision. While PIACS was disappointed in today’s decision, we are confident in our position that the expenditure of over $100,000 in public funds to oppose a charter school approved by the commissioner of education is wrong and that our position will be vindicated on appeal.
“We are determined to overcome this obstacle and open the school which will benefit students from the Princeton Regional, West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional and South Brunswick School Districts. As such, we are pressing forward with our plans, as the State has granted us permission to do.”
In news reports Abbate indicated that PIACS would continue its application before the South Brunswick zoning board for approval to locate the school at 12 Perrine Road (WW-P News, October 21).
