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The Alabama Public Charter School Commission is conducting a review of each of its schools to ensure they’re in compliance with recent state law, including 2024’s “divisive concepts” ban.
During APCSC’s regularly scheduled meeting on Feb. 10, APCSC Executive Director Logan Searcy said, “We want to make sure we keep good lines of communication open with our charter schools, but we also want to ensure anyone and everyone—all of our stakeholders—that we are making sure that our schools are compliant with federal and state law.”
Searcy said the audit would ensure APCSC schools are in line with recent state legislation, including 2024’s law banning public institutions from operating diversity equity and inclusion offices or programs or promoting “divisive concepts.”
“We’re doing it for all of our charter schools, and we’re also making sure our charter schools are compliant with Act 34-24,” Searcy said.
APCSC finance specialist Dr. Douglas Riley said of the audit, “We are living in an ever-changing educational environment both in the charter sector and nationwide. There’s several recent developments, and schools need to be nimble and start reflecting some of those recent developments.”
Riley also pointed to the state’s “divisive concepts” ban and 2024’s Parent’s Right to Know Act, which requires public school curriculum to be posted online, as reasons for APSCSC’s focus on ensuring its schools comply with the law.
The audit comes after several Republican lawmakers, state Attorney General Steve Marshall and conservative state media outlets have all called into question state funding for The Magic City Acceptance Academy, a public charter school focused on serving LGBTQ+ students.
State Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, said MCAA was “in the crosshairs” for the 2025 legislative session during a Jan. 31 appearance on “The Dale Jackson Show.”
“They’re not going by the letter of the law that was passed and it’s something we’re going to have to deal with. Now, what’s the best way to go about that? We’ll have to figure that out, but they are definitely in the sights.”
Orr continued, “It’s boiled over to a point to where we can’t ignore it. I would predict that we’ll take some form of action in the ’25 session.”
State Sen. Chris Elliot, R-Josephine, similarly called for the legislature to revoke funding for MCAA as well as the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, during a Feb. 1 appearance on the “Jeff Poor Show.”
Elliot said, “If they want to go raise money to go do crazy stuff, fine; go raise it privately. But get off the government dole, and that ought to be the message and it ought to be firm. And the legislature ought to send it. And the governor ought to send it. And I, for one, am going to be looking very closely at those particular entities and where they fall in, in the budgets this year.”
The school has also received criticism from State Rep. Ed Oliver, R-Dadeville. Oliver sponsored 2023’s “divisive concepts” bill before it was reintroduced in the by State Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, and passed the following year.
Oliver told conservative news site 1819 News MCAA is in violation of the divisive concepts ban saying, “It’s not only not trying to hide it; it’s their selling point.”
When asked if 2024’s divisive concepts bill “has enough teeth” during a Jan. 31 episode of “Rightside Radio,” Marshall said the legislature has a chance to repeal funding for MCAA if they feel it is in violation of the law.
“I think the biggest leverage in these areas that we have is the power of the purse string. You know, the legislature determines who gets funded and how and to the extent that you have an entity or organization that’s subject to that law that’s otherwise not complying with its parameters then the legislature has the opportunity to be able to take that next step,” Marshall said.
According to 1819, following their recent coverage of MCAA, the school has edited its website and mission statement to remove references to its LGBTQ+ focus.
APCSC’s next meeting is scheduled for March 10 and open to the public.
