A charter school that opened in Bartlett last month drew the ire of Shelby County commissioners when it decided without permission to move from downtown Memphis to their new location at 6165 Stage Road in Bartlett.
A Gateway University Charter School’s spokesman on Friday declined to provide any statement about the location decision, whether he is currently communicating or collaborating with public school officials in Bartlett or Shelby County, or even how many students are enrolled at the charter school. He is refraining from comment on the advice of legal counsel and is focusing solely on the charter school’s operations at this time.
Earlier in August, Bartlett City Schools released the following statement: “Bartlett City Schools is aware of a Shelby County charter school’s interest in opening within the City of Bartlett and the confusion this may cause parents. As a district, we are currently working to get clarity to questions and whether a charter school approved in one district could operate within the boundaries of another and what implications this could have statewide.”
Shelby County commissioners passed a resolution to ask the Tennessee Department of Education to postpone the charter school’s opening until a location is found for it in Downtown Memphis. The resolution also says the Bartlett location was not successful for a different charter school.
By law, they could open the building in Mississippi, only students from Shelby County could enroll. Thus, Bartlett City location is fine, students bused in from Shelby County.
Pretty easy.