Charter schools don't have as much freedom from the public school system as they think.

That's the realization from Bibb County Schools Superintendent Curtis Jones after the rough start by the second charter school in district, Macon Charter Academy.

Telegraph reporter David Schick outlines the complaints the Bibb County School District had with the Macon Charter Academy. That includes not training the governing board, not hiring a principal in a timely fashion and general disorganization in classrooms.

GPB Macon interviewed Superintendent Jones to find out more about the Macon Charter Academy (or MCA) situation, and whether this changes the Bibb County Schools acceptance of charter schools.

Jones talks about charter school autonomy at about 5:44 in the discussion.

The troubles at MCA affect about 600 families with children who go there. Jones says about 50 MCA students have returned to the Bibb County School District. Should the number of returning students approach 200, then Jones says the district will have more difficulty accept them back into the school. Hiring teachers in the middle of the school year isn't easy.

And students who left magnet schools to attend Macon Charter Academy will not be able to return to those magnets during the 2015-16 school year. Hear this at about 11:10 in the discussion.

What does Jones tell parents of Macon Charter Academy students?

"It's a rocky time. But they need to stay there and they need to work with the school to help it improve and get better," Jones says. "Just as we are evaluating as time goes by, they should do the same thing ... (I)f I were a parent, if I really did believe that my child would be better at Macon Charter, see how well they do with that. Hold them accountable for it." (19:58 in the conversation)

Tags: charter school, charters, Bibb County School District, Curtis Jones, Macon Charter Academy