Robert Runcie

Broward School Board Revokes Charter of Championship Academy of Distinction in Davie Over Security Concerns

The Broward School Board voted Tuesday to revoke the charter of a Davie school over safety concerns.

The board voted 8-1 to terminate the charter of Championship Academy of Distinction, which has nearly 600 students. The members acted on the recommendation of schools superintendent Robert Runcie, and despite the impassioned pleas of parents, teachers and administrators from the school.

Runcie outlined the series of events that led up to the vote, including how the district sent numerous letters, emails, and met personally with all the charter school principals in Broward to warn them they had to have either an approved armed guardian or a police officer on campus to comply with state law.

For the first two days of school, there was no guardian or officer at Championship Academy. After the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Commission called them out, the school made arrangements with Davie Police for coverage.

"It sends a message that regardless of whether you're a district school, a charter school, there will be no compromise on the law and the requirements for school safety," Runcie said.

The board will now take over operations at the school.

"The decision of our School Board members supported the safety and security of the students. It maintains the operations of the school so that the relationship of the parents, the families, the students, and their teachers can remain intact to minimize the impact on them," the board said in a statement. "The School Board of Broward County has assigned a school leadership team from the District to continue the daily operations of the school to allow for a seamless transition of oversight and management. The school remains open during the transition."

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