Ohio public charter schools sue over private owner

COLUMBUS (AP) — A group of publicly funded Ohio charter schools is challenging the authority of their private management company, led by a Republican political donor.

The governing boards of 10 Hope Academies and Life Skills Centers in Cleveland and Akron filed suit today against White Hat Management LLC, one of the nation’s largest for-profit operators of charter schools.

In the lawsuit, filed in a county court in Columbus, the schools seek to break their contracts with Akron-based White Hat, whose president is businessman and GOP contributor David Brennan.

They say the company receives all but a fraction of the public money provided to their schools but has refused to detail how the funds are being spent.

A message for comment was left with Brennan’s office.