During a packed Monday night meeting, the Neshaminy School Board voted 5-4 to uphold their 4-3 February decision to deny MaST Community Charter School’s application to open a elementary through high school facility within the district.
The board members recently received a report on the first denial. The findings were prepared by the district’s attorney.
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Board President Ritchie Webb, along with Irene Boyle, Scott Congdon, Susan Cummuings and Mark Shubin voted to uphold the previous decision. Board members Mike Morris, Kim Koutsouradis, William Oettinger and Anthony Sposato voted against the decision.
Neshaminy parent and MaST supporter Deb Harker asked the board why she could not read the report.
Webb said the report was not initially made public as to give board members a chance to read the findings.
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District taxpayers said at the February hearing that the charter school, ranked one of the top in the nation, would add competition and force the public schools to improve.
According to a story in the Bucks County Courier Times, MaST filed a lawsuit in county court for “violating state law by holding an executive session” before the initial hearing.
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During public comment on the MaST findings, Middletown resident Chalres Alfonso spoke of how the district could work with MaST and said Shubin supported a “$25 million Lower South political mausoleum.” Alfonso was referring to the possible district consolidation and construction of new elementary schools.
As Alfonso, who was just over his 3 minute time limit, walked from the podium after being asked to finish, Shubin called him an “asshole.” When confronted by Alfonso, he called the meeting regular a “tough guy.”
The MaST hearing ended and Alfonso was afforded the chance to speak before the board again. He demanded a public apology.
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Toward the end of the meeting, Shubin said, “I‘d like to publicly apologize for my comments.”
Alfonso said he was upset Shubin did not direct the apology at him and felt “personally attacked.”
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“He’s totally afraid of my arguments,” Alfonso said, citing the fact that Shubin blocked him from reading the board member’s Facebook posts about the district.
“Say whatever you want about me in private, but don’t ever call me names and obscenities in front of the public and cameras,” Alfonso said outside the district headquarters.
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Shubin said after the meeting that he was tired of Alfonso’s “personal attacks and vitriol” against him.
The board is next set to meet April 9 at 7 p.m. at Maple Point.
