John Colson, whose sudden departure from his job as principal of Waimea Middle School ignited a firestorm of protest, has found a new, temporary job at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, where he once served as headmaster.
But his supporters are still pursuing their quest to get him back at the helm of the charter school. On Thursday they asked the Charter School Review Panel for help, likening Ho‘okako‘o Corp. to a corporate raider that showed no sensitivity to the fact that it was running a charter school, not a business.
"This decision to remove our principal was rash and poorly researched," said Jennifer Hannum, a Waimea Middle School parent. "Their hostile tactics are reminiscent of a hostile takeover. … This is a school. These are not executives. These are children. Ho‘okako‘o must be held accountable for their actions and so much destruction that they leave in their path."
Ho‘okako‘o, based in Honolulu, is the "local school board" for three charters, including Waimea Middle on Hawaii island. On Feb. 7 it abruptly announced Colson’s departure during a school assembly, without explanation. Four days later it characterized his departure as a resignation.
Neither party can discuss it because of a confidentiality agreement. Keith Vieira, chairman of the Ho‘okako‘o board and an executive with Starwood Hotels & Resorts, affirmed that Colson had done nothing ethically or morally wrong. School staff said he had received a 4.8-out-of-5 performance rating in January.
Hannum and others testified during the public-input portion of the review panel’s meeting. Because the issue was not on the agenda, panel members could not discuss it. Panel members have little say over employment decisions at charter schools but can take action when a local school board fails in its duties.
Colson, a member of the panel, sat silently along with his colleagues. Asked for comment later, he said, "It continues to be heartwarming to know that parents and kids appreciated what I’ve done at the school. I wish them well." He visited the school Wednesday to reassure students that he would stay close.
Waimea parent Steve Summers asked the panel to "reverse this tragedy," noting that more than 350 people turned out for a meeting hosted by Ho‘okako‘o.
"Every single person that came up was in support of Principal John Colson," Summers said. "We could not find one person that came to the mike that agreed with or applauded the actions of this school board. The community was unanimous in condemning this unilateral action. We feel like we have no say, as if we were under a dictatorship."
In a letter posted on the school website Thursday, Vieira acknowledged that teachers and parents want more input into school operations.
"The mechanism in place for that is the Local Advisory Panel, which unfortunately has not been meeting regularly," Vieira wrote. "We will reconstitute an advisory panel as soon as possible to once again provide a formal avenue for community input."
On March 1, Colson will become acting director of development at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, where he worked as a counselor, coach and teacher, then as headmaster from 1991 to 2003.
"Having a gentleman of John’s stature join our administrative team is not an opportunity that comes around every day," Headmaster Lindsay Barnes said. "This is not an opportunity I would have predicted, but it’s one we were ready to explore when it was confirmed that John was available."
