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LAYTON — Allegations of sexual abuse at Franklin Discovery Academy were determined to be "unfounded," according to a mentor appointed to oversee the public charter school after it was placed on probation by the State Charter School Board earlier this year.
"All the allegations with regards to sexual abuse, all the things along those lines, have been found to be untrue. They were allegations that either came from either parents or community members. They had police come in. They had family and children services come in. Everybody did all the investigations and all of those were unfounded," Kim Frank, executive director of the Utah Charter Network who was appointed to monitor the Vineyard school, said.
The Utah County Sheriff's Office looked into to the allegations but found no evidence that supported the claims, Sgt. Spencer Cannon said.
"It wasn't a matter of not being enough evidence to charge, it's the fact we didn't find any evidence. We said, no, it's unsubstantiated," Cannon said.
Representatives of the charter school reported to the State Charter School Board Thursday, which met on the Davis campus of Weber State University.
Frank said the school "made some mistakes but they're leaps and bounds ahead of where they were six weeks ago. It's going to be a process." One of the school's basic problems was they did not have processes and policies in place that would improve school operations, she said.
"They were a wee bit over their heads. The new school director is fantastic, though," she said.
Julie Chacon and Jennifer Price, who are sisters, were founders of the charter school. Chacon has also been a contract employee of the school's foundation and served on the school's charter board, Frank said.
"The state charter board felt there was a conflict of interest there," Frank said.
Chacon told the board she is resigning from the foundation and has hired on as an employee of the school. She will not longer serve on the school's board, of which her sister is the chairwoman.
"Just to keep everything clear and to make everyone happy, that decision's been made," Chacon said.
"It's not just to make everyone happy. It's to be compliant legally," said school board member DeLaina Tonks.
Deputy State Superintendent Scott Jones said the report indicates the school is making progress.
"I think they're on the right track. I think they're meeting their probationary requirements. However, there are still a lot of details that still need to be refined and brought out in the process before we end the fiscal year," Jones said.
