PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia judge has rejected an injunction request to halt the temporary placement of Kensington High students at the vacant Austin Meehan Middle School. The transfer was announced last week after asbestos was discovered at Kensington.
The suit came not from any Kensington parents but from the father of a student at Lincoln High School, which is adjacent to Austin Meehan. Harold Brown said he has safety concerns about students from two different high schools being so close together, like strains on personnel, security and transportation at Lincoln.
“It wasn’t better for the city, not just my son. It’s the same thing that keeps constantly happening, whether you lose funding or they shut something down and they smash everyone together, and it’s not the best thing for our youth,” Brown said.
But after four hours of testimony, Judge Chris Hall said he was persuaded that the school district’s plan to move Kensington students to Austin Meehan was as thorough as it could be and did not believe the plaintiffs would suffer immediate or irreparable harm from the transfer. In fact, he said Kensington students might suffer — both academically and from food insecurity — if the move were postponed. Officials have arranged transportation for Kensington students that will not interfere with Lincoln’s, and added a security officer for Meehan.
They said the only alternative was remote learning, which they said is inferior and would leave students without breakfast and lunch.
Kensington students are scheduled to report to Meehan on Monday, Aug. 24.
The plaintiff’s attorney, Michael Vanderveen, was disappointed in the ruling.
“If a week from now or a month from now, we get a shooting or a stabbing or violence that breaks out there, this is what would have been there to prevent it,” Vanderveen said.
The judge's ruling is contingent on the school district providing a comprehensive safety plan for both Lincoln and Austin Meehan by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. The plaintiffs said if it's not delivered by 5 p.m., they will immediately refile the injunction request.
Asbestos was discovered at Kensington High in July
Asbestos was discovered at Kensington High in July
