Well, If It's Gonna Be That Kind of Party...

Charter school accused of becoming adult club at night in Miami-Dade

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY— By day, the Balare Language Academy is an A-rated charter school, home to children in kindergarten through middle school.


But when the kids are tucked into bed, Balare apparently becomes a playground of a different kind.


Party fliers, printed and on the Web, indicate that the campus at 10875 Quail Roost Dr. has been hosting raunchy, booze-soaked bashes into the wee hours. One flier for an upcoming party features a voluptuous, scantily clad woman posing with champagne bottles. Another shows a woman in a string bikini bending over suggestively and a man with flashy jewelry sitting on a stack of currency in front of a gold sports car.


Asked if the school was hosting any parties, founder and principal Rocka Malik responded: "Not that I'm aware of."


School attorney Marlon Hill said Balare is investigating.


"The school takes this type of allegation very seriously and with the highest priority," he said, adding that it sublets the space to two churches on the weekends.


Parents at the school were the first to sound the alarm this week.


The school district received complaints from parents who wondered why there were empty beer bottles at their child's school. They also complained about a lingering smell of smoke — and those provocative party promotions advertising Push it to Da Limit Pt-1: The Flossin Edition this coming Saturday.


On Thursday, the district sent the Language Academy a sternly worded letter reminding operators that the property is zoned to be a school and not a nightclub.


The complaint specifically called attention to the fliers.


"All advertisements include the promotion of alcoholic beverages in addition to inappropriate images for school-age children," Deputy Superintendent Freddie Woodson wrote.


There's little the district can do. Charter schools are funded by taxpayer dollars, but run by private or nonprofit boards independent of the school district.


Under state law, the district can close a charter school only if the school is in financial distress or has received a series of failing grades from the state Department of Education.


Balare, which boasts a bilingual curriculum, did receive a failing grade in 2010, and was threatened with closure at that time. When the F turned into an A this past summer, the school got a reprieve.


Malik said people must be using the school's address in their advertisements but planning to hold the parties somewhere else.


If so, they've done it before.


The school district found advertisements for two other parties at the address that took place over the summer: the Elegant Birthday Bash and the Skinny B'Day Celebration.


Photos of both events were posted on Facebook and show hundreds of partygoers dancing in a large space and pouring alcohol in a cramped kitchen. The virtual photo albums say the events took place at 10875 Quail Roost Dr.


Calls to the party promoter — Outlaw Skinny Promotions, which lists its address on Facebook at 10875 Quail Roost Dr. — were not returned.


Hill, the school's attorney, said Balare had already delegated staff to investigate claims that the school is doubling as a party palace at night.


He said staff plans to visit the school over the weekend "to assess whether any unapproved activities are indeed taking place without the knowledge and notice of the school."


Of course the staff plans on visiting the school of the weekend.  If "Push It To Da Limit:  The Flossin Edition" was coming to my office, you bet your ass I am there.  Don't forget about the fact that it is hosted by Jiggy Dre.  Let me into this party and let me in yesterday!


How about the Principals response, "Not that I am aware of."  That's like being in a Congressional hearing and responding, "I do not recall, senator" to every incriminating question.  You know what I think?  I think the principal is Jiggy Dre, possibly Carib Flexx.



-Big Ran

KC Jones Comments: This is an unbelievably awesome article. Could you even IMAGINE something like this going on? And yes, Big Ran is right about the principal's response being equivalent to "I do not recall, senator"....and now I'm having flashbacks to the Clinton/Lewinsky debacle ("It depends on what your definition of 'is', 'is').... Good find Big Ran, good find! And, what is wrong with the school hosting raunchy, booze-soaked bashes into the wee hours as long as it's not during school hours? God, with the right cover charges err'body up in the school during the week could be sporting new IPads.  If that happens, I bet no one will be complaining when "Soul Train: The Dirty Version" resumes each Friday night....Budget problems resolved!