Vilas superintendent defends far-flung charter school unit: Hope Academy questioned on subsidizing religion at 81 education centers.

Byline: Anthony A. Mestas

Oct. 27--VILAS - The superintendent of the Vilas School District said Wednesday that the district's online charter school was created to rescue hundreds of underprivileged kids struggling in traditional schools.

Two years ago, the Vilas schools granted a charter school license to Hope Online Learning Academy Co-op, which has been under fire recently for allegedly funneling public money to religious schools operating as academy education centers across Colorado. Hope operates the statewide system under a contract with the Vilas RE-5 School District in this small town 8 miles east of Springfield in Baca County. Vilas School District Superintendent Joseph Shields said Wednesday that rumors are running rampant that the program is nothing short of a money-making machine for the district. Among the rumors: Vilas is transporting kids to football games in limos and a new school bus features drop-down TV screens, Shields said. Shields, who has been with the district six years, two years as superintendent, denies any lavish spending in the Vilas schools with proceeds from its cut of local tax money that flows to the…