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Bishop Eddie Long's school forced to shut down (209 hits)

By Kunbi Tinuoye

1:30 PM on 12/28/2011
The GRIO

A school affiliated with Bishop Eddie Long's Georgia megachurch is shutting down. Parents received letters, just two days before Christmas, telling them the school would close on January 4th.

New Birth Christian Academy, which enrolls students in kindergarten through the 12th grade, has been struggling financially for years, officials said. A financial deficit and declining enrollment left its board of directors with no other option but to temporarily close the school, said a church statement.

Art Franklin, a spokesman for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is keen to stress the school's closure is not linked to the s*xual allegations against Bishop Eddie Long, which culminated in the pastor taking a sabbatical to "tend to family business" after his wife filed for divorce.

Though, a parent, speaking to Channel 2 WSB-TV, begs to differ. "I don't believe that," she said in the interview, which did not disclose her identity. "I believe that this last straw with the divorce, the sealed settlement, it just does not look good. I really believe that people continued to take their children out as each allegation unfolded month after month."

"Just like the parishioners have suffered, the children are now suffering," said the parent, who is also upset the school gave such short notice.

Officials called the closing a business decision and said they "will do everything within our power to reopen the school at some point in the near future." The letter also stated the staff at New Birth will help students and parents find a new school.

The academy, founded by Bishop Eddie Long and located within the church, is closing after 18 years, forcing parents of more than 200 students to scramble to find new schools by next week.

Tuition at the school ranged from $5,725 for New Birth members to just over $6,000 for non-members with more than $1,000 in non-refundable fees, according to the academy's website.

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Thursday, December 29th 2011 at 12:27PM
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[..."Just like the parishioners have suffered, the children are now suffering," said the parent, who is also upset the school gave such short notice. ...]

That was really foul that they gave such a short notice to parents and I would be livid, too. That's just not good business. Surely the directors or officials saw this coming (school closing) down the pipe long before now. It's just really unfair to the parents and the children.

I knew it was gonna to happen though. Right now Long is trying to keep his wife from taking his empire... he's on NO sabbatical trying to mend his family. He's talking with his lawyers to see how he can keep his wife from getting everything he owns. He should have gotten a signed a prenup from Vanessa, eh?

Re:

[...Art Franklin, a spokesman for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, is keen to stress the school's closure is not linked to the s*xual allegations against Bishop Eddie Long, which culminated in the pastor taking a sabbatical to "tend to family business" after his wife filed for divorce.

Though, a parent, speaking to Channel 2 WSB-TV, begs to differ. "I don't believe that," she said in the interview, which did not disclose her identity. "I believe that this last straw with the divorce, the sealed settlement, it just does not look good. I really believe that people continued to take their children out as each allegation unfolded month after month." ...]

I can't say I blame parents for taking their kids out of Long's school .... messing with young boys isn't kosher.

Saturday, December 31st 2011 at 5:43PM
Jen Fad

@ Sister Irma,

Eddie Long can't afford to run a school when he's in the red. People have to be paid to teach and I imagine his running or overhead costs are much more than what's coming into the school with some parents having already withdrawn their kids with the negative press he's been getting. Long is also being sued by some church members over an investiment venture that turned out to be some kind of alledged Ponzi scheme. Then you think about the division that is coming with the divorce ... he can't keep the school open. It doesn't make good business or economic sense. Isn't that what the Republicans and corporations are fussing about? They want to make a profit because I'm sure you realize that Eddie Long hadn't done much for God these days but has gone rogue.

Sunday, January 1st 2012 at 3:35PM
Jen Fad

Thanks Jake, and if you find some follows ups on this please share. There has got to be more tahn these people went in one day and found out they had no money( interesting about the nonrefundables)...why not finish out the school year and not cause all of his hard ship on these innocent children and their whole community as I am sure the community have limited schools to begin with??? (nup)

IT IS JAIL TIME NOW...
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA