Bishop Sycamore, the alleged Ohio charter school that raised concerns when the football program was blown out by IMG Academy in an ESPN showcase earlier this year, was determined to be a “scam.”
The Ohio Department of Education released its report about its investigation into Bishop Sycamore on Friday that the so-called online charter school was in fact a “scam” and “not a school.”
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Bishop Sycamore was blown out by IMG Academy and it was downhill from there. (iStock)
“Unfortunately, the facts suggest that Bishop Sycamore High School was and is, in fact, a scam. To that end, the head coach of the Bishop Sycamore football team confirmed what has become apparent to everyone: Bishop Sycamore is not a school,” the report read.
“Bishop Sycamore was a way for students to play football against high school teams and potentially increase students’ prospects of playing football at the collegiate level. The cost of this dream for those students wasn’t just the tuition charged to attend the school. The price was the education students were entitled to receive.”
Gov. Mike DeWine said he was asking the attorney general and other officials to determine whether laws were broken.
“This report confirms numerous disturbing allegations regarding Bishop Sycamore. There is no evidence that the ‘school’ enrolled students this year, had a physical location for classes to meet, employed teachers, nor offered any academic program meeting minimum standards,” DeWine said in a statement.
BISHOP SYCAMORE FOOTBALL COACH: ‘WE ARE NOT A SCHOOL’
(The Bishop Sycamore football coach claimed the school wasn’t a scam.)
“Ohio families should be able to count on the fact that our schools educate students and don’t exist in name only as a vehicle to play high school sports. When an Ohio student goes to school, they deserve a quality education to prepare them for success in the future.
“I am today asking Attorney General Yost and other offices with jurisdiction to determine whether the alleged deception by Bishop Sycamore violated any civil or criminal laws. I intend to work with the Department of Education and legislative leaders to implement the recommendations contained in this thorough report.”
The state found no evidence the school enrolled multiple students this year and concluded it didn’t meet minimum standards, including for academic offerings and student safety, the report said.
Bishop Sycamore coach Andre Peterson had previously told USA Today the school was no scam
“There’s nothing that I’ve gotten out of this that would constitute it as a scam because I’m not gaining anything financially from what we’re doing. The reality of it is that I have a son (Javan) that’s also in the program and has been in the program for four years,” he said in August.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called for the attorney general to investigate whether any laws were broken. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
“If it’s a scam and the kids are not going to school and not doing what they’re supposed to do, then I’m literally scamming myself. And most importantly, I’m hurting my own son. So when people say stuff like that … I would literally be taking my son’s future and throwing it in the trash.”
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The ODE recommended amending state law to authorize the department to monitor whether the hundreds of schools listing themselves as non-chartered, non-tax supported schools are meeting the more relaxed minimum standards for that category, and to require corrective action if needed.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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