Searcy shuts out students and shuts down schools.
Shortly after Searcy was named as the leader of a group of charter schools, she recommended closing its high schools early in the school year, giving students and parents less than a month’s notice to make necessary educational arrangements – leaving high school seniors empty handed and families in a lurch.
 
The resulting board decision was made based on a direct “recommendation brought forward by the new Executive Director, Alisha Thomas [Searcy]” and “part of several sweeping changes.”  
Parents were “blindsided” by the “lack of transparency” – the board meeting was conducted virtually and did not mention the topic of school closure at all on the official board agenda. Families believed the entire process “violated state Sunshine laws.”
 
Searcy tells high school seniors they have 30 days to find another school.
This decision to close the schools in the first part of the school year left families scrambling to find new schools. Under Searcy’s directive, school leaders “[pulled] students out of class and [told] them that they had to find another school to attend in 30 days.”
 
After hearing the news, “concerned parents went to demand answers but what they got instead were withdrawal papers.”
 
Searcy resigns and leaves behind schools in ruin.
For the students and families left behind, the turmoil only continued.
 
Searcy asked those who were disheartened to “hold out hope” and assured parents “she could save the [remaining] school”, but the string of broken promises came to a head when Searcy abruptly resigned less than five months later.
 
“Parents were in limbo” with the schools’ closure and then found out about Searcy’s resignation – further causing chaos for their child’s education. Adding insult to injury, families only found out about Searcy’s resignation when newspapers called asking them for comment.
 
It was so egregious, the school’s founder called the situation Searcy left the schools in “educational malpractice.”
 
Given the fact that she had no prior educational experience, Searcy was clearly in over her head, even admitting: “I would say I definitely underestimated it.” Quite the understatement given the 1,100+ students her chaotic changes had robbed out of receiving a quality education – ruining many students’ senior year.

Alisha
abandons our parents.

Thomas
turns on our teachers.

Searcy
shuts out our students.