Charter school may oust board member

A charter school whistle-blower who feared retaliation for reporting violations to the state says she is now being asked to resign from the board.

"They're using me as a scapegoat," said Jenny Foss, treasurer for Rockwell Charter High School in Eagle Mountain.

Foss, an accountant working on an MBA, says she is also worried how the board's actions will affect her accounting business in Eagle Mountain.

The board met Thursday night to address the issue but agreed they legally have to give Foss two weeks' notice and a certified letter. They plan to address the issue again in their July 9 meeting, Foss told the Deseret News late Thursday.

Foss reported allegations to state charter school officials who discovered the school was out of compliance in some areas, mainly dealing with policy and procedure.

The State Office of Education issued a letter to the Rockwell board earlier this month stating the issues must be resolved by July 31.

Foss received an e-mail Wednesday from board Chairman Redge Hudson asking her to step down. It read in part: "Your actions have hurt the school's image and have hindered the Board from moving forward. I understand that you feel justified in making your comments, but there exist other ways to express your concerns that do not hurt the school's image."

"If you chose not to step down during the Board business section of the agenda, I will move to have you voted off the Board," the e-mail said.

Hudson concluded saying, "Unfortunately, I believe that the school cannot move forward with you in your current role. The Board needs harmony, and you do not give us that harmony. Please do not create any more bad press for the school and step down graciously."

Hudson didn't return phone or e-mail messages left by the Deseret News on Thursday.

During the June 11 meeting, the board resolved two issues of noncompliance by implementing a finance committee and scheduling the director's annual performance evaluation. It is working on the other issues.

Rockwell High, which opened in fall 2008, has 525 students but capacity for 700.

E-mail: astewart@desnews.com