The Medical Academy Charter School (MACS), 330 Howertown Road, was on the defensive during Tuesday evening's Catasauqua Area School Board meeting.

What initially started out as an update on the charter school making required payments to the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System turned into a critical expose of MACS operations.

Former MACS guidance counselor Heather Walke of Allentown and former art teacher Carol Kamph of Bethlehem shared with the school board the many struggles they experienced as staff last year in terms of school discipline, safety, curriculum development and the required state retirement contribution.

Kamph said the school in its first year did not have an adequate safety plan in place. Staff, she said, were provided bullhorns to use after a physical altercation between a teacher and two students occurred because the school telephone system was not installed at the time.

"I was afraid because of the lack of discipline and lack of consequences at the school," she said. "I'm concerned for our children."

There was another incident near the end of the school year involving a student who brought a knife to school, Kamph said.

She also said the charter school did not properly integrate medicine into the curriculum, as the charter approved by the school board requires.

"I wasn't satisfied with the quality of the education the students were receiving," Kamph said.

Walke added she approached school administration numerous times, but her concerns about issues such as the school not offering Advanced Placement or honors courses went unanswered.

"I didn't feel I could do my job," she said. "I fear for the kids trying to get into college."

MACS CEO and Principal Johanna Hughes told board members to analyze the totality of information provided and its sources.

"Much of what you're hearing is not true," Hughes said. "I don't want to be on the battlefield. We have phones now. We have a crisis plan. We have things in place."

East Allentown resident Millie Konrath said the school refused to answer her questions regarding lowering her daughter Megan's GPA at the end of last school year.

"Even though I withdrew, I still need my credits," Megan, who now attends Lehigh Valley Academy charter school, said to Hughes. "I still need those courses."

MACS board chairman Craig Haytmanek, M.D., directly addressed both Kamph and Walke during the meeting and asked if they were the authors of the anonymous letter that recently was presented to the media outlining many of the charter school's alleged deficiencies.

The letter was authored by former staff who are no longer employed by the school. Kamph and Walke refused to answer Haytmanek.

"Then it [letter] has no value," Haytmanek said.

"This is not cross-examination," district Solicitor David Knerr said. "We're listening to what they said to us."

Catasauqua resident Karla Fryslin spoke directly to Haytmanek, saying he was rude in how he addressed Kamph and Walke. Fryslin's son is a student in the district.

"I would not send him [her son] to your school, at all," Fryslin said. "We [CASD] have a no bullying policy. Who are you to bully someone in this room?"

Board member Don Panto asked Kamph and Walke how the district can validate their assertions.

Kamph said the board should look closely at graduation credits, how medicine is infused into the curriculum, professional development and how labs are integrated into the curriculum.

"Look very carefully, look back at the documentation and make sure they're following it to a 'T,'" Walke urged.

CASD Superintendent Robert Spengler told Hughes and Haytmanek the district would visit the school Wednesday of this week to review paperwork on file to ensure the school is meeting all required charter stipulations.

"That was the crux of the matter," Spengler said. "You have to be a medical charter school."

In the event the MACS is not meeting required charter stipulations, the district is empowered to begin revocation proceedings against the school.