Closed charter school meetings rile parents

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii (AP) — A closed door meeting about a Big Island teacher accused of abusing students is highlighting different rules about what charter schools have to tell the public.

West Hawaii Today reported (http://bit.ly/R5ogjA) Tuesday that the Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science held a meeting about the teacher but did not tell parents where it was being held.

Anne Lopez in the state attorney general's office says that under the state sunshine law, charter schools, unlike other public boards, are required to tell the public about open meetings but not executive sessions.

The school's director, Steve Hirakami, says he won't tell the public when the next executive sessions on the issue will be held. He says parents may disrupt the meeting and make the teacher feel unsafe.

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Information from: West Hawaii Today, http://www.westhawaiitoday.com

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