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Howard Cooper quoted in news article on charter school lawsuit against state education officials

Howard M. Cooper's charter school client is highlighted in a MassLive news article on the school's court challenge of a decision by state education officials to deny the school's request to expand its student enrollment.

Mr. Cooper represents the trustees of the Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, Mass., which is contesting the denial of its request to grow its student enrollment from 584 to 952 students. The lawsuit contends the denial was unfair and arbitrary.

"This lawsuit is really about the families who have voted with their time, their energy and their feet to ask for a place for their children at Pioneer Valley and whose rights are being affected here," Mr. Cooper told the publication.

The school opened in 2007 with a program focusing on immersing children in Chinese language and culture beginning in kindergarten.  The waiting list for kindergarten has consistently been double the number of available spots, according to the lawsuit.

Mr. Cooper told the publication that the school has addressed every subject that has been raised over the years and has gone through the application process multiple times “with ever-shifting goal posts.”

Elizabeth E. Olien is working with Mr. Cooper on the lawsuit.