Parents Are Asking The SRC To Keep 2 Local Charter Schools Open
By Mike DeNardo
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Parents at two charter schools under a cloud of scandal are asking the School Reform Commission to keep the charters open.
The SRC has put-off renewing the charters of the Planet Abacus and Laboratory Charter Schools, after the schools' founder and other top officials were indicted for fraud.
Dorothy June Brown and other school executives are charged with defrauding the schools out of more than $6.5 million. They've pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Parents at the two schools, though, don't want what they say is a quality education for their kids disrupted in the meantime. Sharon Heileman has a kindergartener at Planet Abacus.
"I implore you; do not punish our children for the acts of a few corrupt individuals. Instead, regulate our school and create visibility and accountability within the charter system," Heilman says.
The SRC has delayed a vote on charter renewals for the two schools, while the district does its own investigation.
