Magic City Acceptance Academy
Magic City Acceptance Academy (MCAA) is a charter high school sponsored by Birmingham AIDS Outreach as part of its mission to provide free services for LGBTQ youth. The school provides a standard high school curriculum while fostering an environment free of bullying, which is a major factor in limiting educational opportunities for LGBTQ students. Straight "allies" are also be welcomed at the school. The curriculum incorporates trauma-informed teaching strategies to facilitate learning.
Michael Wilson was hired as principal for the school, which opened in August 2021 with 270 students. It is located at 75 Bagby Drive in Homewood.
Approval
The Birmingham Board of Education, which generally opposes charter schools, denied the group's application in January 2020. The Alabama Public Charter School Commission, which has frequently overruled local boards, voted 6-2 to deny a charter for the Academy.
The Academy then made plans to open in Homewood. Since Homewood City Schools, unlike Birmingham, played no role in authorizing charter schools, the application was made directly to the state commission.
In their September 10, 2020 meeting the application got 3 affirmative votes and 1 vote against, with four abstentions. Since the application did not receive approval from a majority of the eight members present, it was effectively denied. Chair Henry Nelson requested a re-vote, but the motion failed. The commission did take up the motion again on September 17. Once more it failed to gain a majority, by a vote of 4 in favor, 3 against and 1 abstention, and was therefore denied.
MCAA petitioned for a re-hearing on the grounds that sufficient reasons for rejecting their application had not been furnished. A fourth vote was held on November 4. The schools application was approved then with 7 yes votes, 1 no, and 1 abstention from the 9 members present.
In 2021 the system was awarded $122,346 in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds tied to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
- Dunigan, Jonece Starr (April 25, 2019) "Group wants to open LGBTQ-focused charter school in Birmingham." The Birmingham News
- Dunigan, Jonece Starr (May 12, 2020) "Alabama’s 1st LGBTQ charter school denied state-level appeal." The Birmingham News
- Crain, Trisha Powell (September 10, 2020) "Alabama’s LGBTQ charter school denied again by state commission." The Birmingham News
- Crain, Trisha Powell (September 18, 2020) "Alabama denies LGBTQ charter school again, supporters claim bias." The Birmingham News
- Crain, Trisha Powell (November 4, 2020) "Birmingham LGBTQ safe space charter school approved for 2021 opening." The Birmingham News
- Miles, Kyra (August 30, 2021) "LGBTQ Students Find Hope In New Affirming School: The Magic City Acceptance Academy" WBHM.org
- Crain, Trisha Powell (October 25, 2021) "Alabama schools got $3 billion in federal COVID relief money. Where did it go?" The Birmingham News
External links
- Magic City Acceptance Academy website