Seth Andrew is adept at using words that evoke the democratic ideals of our country. However, it is by no means clear that he delivers on these lofty ideals.
As reported in the article, there have been questions raised about Seth Andrew's organization. The email quoted in the article appears to dodge the question asked, instead asserting that the community is “confused.”
According to a letter to the Vermont Attorney General, Democracy Builders Fund, Inc. is seeking to buy the campus. According to the IRS website, the 501(c)3 status of that organization was revoked due to non-filing.
While Andrew may not see that issue of non-compliance as significant, and perhaps the status has been re-instated by now, his failure to answer the question directly may be indicative of other problems related to transparency and delivering on promises.
Here's an example about a network created by Democracy Builders of why Vermonters should be concerned, though demographic differences abound.
According to The Washington Post, “Democracy Prep, a New York-based charter network, made big promises when it entered the District in 2014 to take over Imagine Southeast,” a charter school in southeast Washington.
In a joint letter, Democracy Prep chief executive Katie Duffy and the chair of the board of directors, Jennifer Wider, admitted they “promised Ward 8 a school in which scholars would thrive academically and socio-emotionally.”
“Ultimately, we have not been able to deliver on that promise,” they wrote.
The Post also explains that “[t]he school's suspension and expulsion rates in the 2016-2017 academic year were drastically higher than citywide averages.”
Amy Grillo, an assistant professor of education at Wesleyan University and former dean of students at Marlboro College, explained that her concern is that, “when [Democracy Builders'] startups fail, they leave whole communities worse off than before and just move on to 'incubate' the next venture. It's an entrepreneurial model that is just not socially responsible. I think the greater Marlboro community needs to plan ahead for this eventuality.”
Andrew admits that his organization was not the highest bidder for Marlboro's campus. Perhaps the bid was chosen because they claim their new school would hold Town Hall meetings and the appearance that it will continue Marlboro College's traditions.
However, his descriptions on social media of town meetings do not seem to resemble how it worked at Marlboro College, where it was a core part of self-governance. He alluded only to performances at Town Hall.
His hope that this college could be accredited by this fall and would be sustainable despite not having Marlboro College's endowment, reputation, pedagogy, alumni base, or history of self-governance appears unlikely.
If you have concerns about the sale of the campus, please contact the Vermont attorney general's office or learn more at IBelieveInMarlboroCollege.org.