The Casablanca American School- a governance row

A dispute has errupted between the Board of governors of the Casablanca American School   (CAS) and  American Ambassador Sam Kapla n who sent a letter to the Board accusing it of exceeding its mandate by seeking to micromanage the school, his letter says that “it has become clear that the Board of Directors does not conform to the governance standards or values expected by the State Department.”

The Ambassador said that the Board was interferring in the  daily running of the School.The  State Department has threatened to withdraw the School's accreditation with New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEAS), an independent accreditation body to which ADAEM-CAS is affiliated.parents are divided between those who support the Board of Directors of ADAEM-CAS (Association for the Development of American Education in Morocco - Casablanca American School (ADAEM-CAS) which is an association that is operating under the Moroccan law.

ADAEM-CAS cannot claim any affiliation to any foreign government or international  organization.The School receives an annual grant from the State Department of US$15,000 from Overseas Schools Advisory Council (OSAC).

On the State Department  website for the OSAC states that "The Department of State established OSAC to seek the advice of American leaders from the business, foundation, and educational communities in pursuing the goal of assuring quality education for American children attending Department-assisted schools overseas, which are known as American overseas schools."  Note, American children! the system originally was not designed to teach other nationalities and that perhaps is part of the problem.

The assisted schools are funded from grants by American businesses and great emphasis is put on maintaining the highest standards of American educational excellence. America has funded and supported many top educational establishments in the Middle East such as the American university in Cairo. These establishments pride themselves on maintaing the highest American standards of educational excellence. Unfortunately this leads to charges of arrogance against US officials. The CAS educates American and Moroccan children and deals with American and Moroccan parents and there is a culture clash.

The ADAEM-CAS board of governors are Moroccan and they are clashing with the American State Department and its Ambassador who significantly demanded that the board include at least 2 Americans.

It is ironic that thousands of young Moroccans are attending American universities and doing very well but in Morocco an American education seems fraught with problems.

Al Akhawayan University, run on American educational guide lines continues to thrive.

The CAS has had difficulties for sometime and it is not the only American School in Morocco to be suffering serious operational disagreements due in large part to a breakdown in communication between American officials in the USA and Moroccan parents and members of the Board of  these schools.

American Schools in Morocco have had a long and history and have been instrumental in popularising the english language and both sides need to work out an agreed mode of operations so that they can continue to serve the communities they work with. Both have very different  academic traditions and also religious beliefs. Morocco is a very complex and traditional society. The two can and do  clash. Morocco has been steadily opening up to international influences a number years,now with the greater emphasis on more traditional islamic beliefs western educational establishments are bound to face difficulties. American officials will have to adapt to this.

 At a time when young Moroccans are clamouring for education and better job prospects institutions like CAS should continue their work and both sides should compromise where neccessary and understand each other.