Not the time you want this to come out…

From Jamie Vaznis of the Globe’s Metro Desk comes one of those stories that just makes you shake your head.

State Inspector General Gregory W. Sullivan made an unusual appearance before the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education today to inform members that his office had launched an investigation of the process that led to the approval of a controversial charter school in Gloucester.

Seems Sullivan notified Secretary Reville of a formal investigation Friday and was troubled because the board had not discussed the inquiry last night during a meeting on the Gloucester charter, which is at the center of the controversy.

Vaznis reports that

It is unclear to what extent, if any, other board members knew of the inspector general’s decision to formally launch an investigation before his appearance today.

Not what you want to have in the Globe right smack in the middle of a contentious debate on raising the charter caps…