Epic Charter Schools File Lawsuit Against State Senator

Epic Charter Schools alleges Senator Ron Sharp knowingly published false statements about the school. Epic is seeking at least $75,000 in damages.

Thursday, December 12th 2019, 7:47 am

By: Shannon Rousseau

Epic Charter Schools File Lawsuit Against State Senator

An Oklahoma charter school system is filing a lawsuit against a state senator.

Epic Charter Schools alleges Senator Ron Sharp knowingly published false statements about the school.

Epic is seeking at least $75,000 in damages. Epic filed the libel and slander lawsuit against Senator Sharp on Monday in Oklahoma County District Court.

The senator argues the school illegally inflated its in-person enrollment to get more state funding.

Epic sent Sharp a cease-and-desist letter in September. The school's governing board voted in October to pursue legal action against him.

Sharp allegedly used personal email addresses to receive and send communication-related to his efforts to defame Epic.

The lawsuit describes how Sharp's actions hurt the school. Epic Superintendent Bart Banfield said the school's employees, students, and families deserve to be protected and defended.

Banfield recommends that the school's governing board withdraw the lawsuit if Sharp retracts the false statements he made.

Epic is currently a focus of a state criminal investigation, but denies any wrongdoing,

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