Charleston County's Schools Sit Empty as Mandarin School Struggles

Heaven forbid that Charleston County's empty taxpayer-paid school buildings be rented to public charter schools. Here's a good example of what's wrong with school choice in the Charleston County School District: the current administration prefers to allow vacant, unused school buildings to sit, rot, and drain the operating budget instead of renting those spaces to public charter schools.

This used to be known as "cutting off your nose to spite your face."

"East Light Academy occupies a warehouse off Clements Ferry Road at 2325 Charleston Regional Parkway. The public charter school’s out-of-the-way location might have been one factor that led to low enrollment in its first semester, according to school leaders." 

"Principal Przemyslaw Murczkiewicz — “Mr. Mur” to the students — said the school’s location might have been its downfall. School founders hoped to locate it centrally in North Charleston, making it accessible to a large population of students. Instead they have rented space in a converted medical supply warehouse in an industrial area of Berkeley County. Traffic is often clogged on Clements Ferry Road near the building." 

That's putting it mildly! Ever been there during rush hour?

The school, sponsored by the SC Public Charter School District, hoped to replicate the success of a total immersion Mandarin language school in West Columbia that enrolls about 500 students.

Columbia. 'Nuff said.

Looks like East Light will lose its charter over low enrollment. Too bad for choice in Charleston County.