The owner of a local charter school management company has sued a former Brunswick County Schools superintendent for defamation of character.
Baker Mitchell, who operates The Roger Bacon Academy Inc., filed a civil lawsuit against Dr. Edward Pruden in New Hanover County Superior Court on Jan. 6.
Founded in 1999, Roger Bacon Academy oversees four public charter schools–Douglass Academy in Wilmington, Charter Day School in Leland, South Brunswick Charter School in Southport and Columbus Charter School in Whiteville.
In the lawsuit, Mitchell claims Pruden, while acting as superintendent of the Brunswick County school district between 2010 and 2014, made a series of false claims against Mitchell and Roger Bacon Academy. The Brunswick County Board of Education fired Pruden in November, seven months ahead of his previously announced retirement date.
See related story: Brunswick school board fires superintendent
“Pruden has falsely stated to third parties that public charter schools assist in ‘dismantling’ North Carolina’s system of public education…and that public charter schools have ‘morphed into an entrepreneurial opportunity,'” according to the suit.
Mitchell alleges that Pruden demonstrated his “combative attitude” toward the charter school system in a variety of formats including a YouTube video, “published to thousands of third parties” in 2013, in which Pruden argues that Brunswick County Schools is “superior to the ‘competition'” because it “does not ‘operate for a profit.'”
Further, Mitchell claims when Roger Bacon Academy applied with the state Office of Charter Schools in 2013 to open South Brunswick Charter, Pruden began an “obsessive public campaign to derail approval” of the new site.
Mitchell says Pruden intentionally caused his Local Education Agency Impact Statement–a document submitted to the state as part of the charter approval process–to be published by the media.
“The Impact Statement contains numerous statements that, when considered as a whole, maligns Mitchell and [Roger Bacon Academy] and casts dispersions on Mitchell’s honesty, character and moral standing in the community.”
In that statement, Pruden accused Mitchell’s “private companies” of profiting from taxpayer dollars in the amount of $16 million.
Mitchell claims Pruden then began submitting numerous documents to the N.C. State Board of Education in an effort to show a “conflict of interest” between Mitchell, Roger Bacon Academy and charter schools, including Mitchell’s position on the Charter Day School’s Board of Directors.
The lawsuit also alleges that Pruden wrongfully accused Charter Day School of repeatedly violating the N.C. Public Records Law in his attempt to prevent South Brunswick Charter’s approval and falsely claimed that Roger Bacon Academy was intentionally misleading state officials considering the application regarding the demand for the new site and its anticipated enrollment.
And Mitchell claims Jessica Swencki, spokesperson for Brunswick County Schools, “republished” Pruden’s letters in various news outlets, including WECT, WWAY and Star News, which led to those outlets perpuating the “characterization of Mitchell as unethical.”
Mitchell and the Roger Bacon Academy are seeking at least $125,000 for libel, unfair and deceptive practices and punitive damages.
Pruden said his attorney has advised him not to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit.
“I will say that the absolute defense is truth,” he said. “I am not concerned.”
Hilary Snow is a reporter at Port City Daily. Reach her at (910) 772-6341 or hilary.s@hometownwilmington.com.
