PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia School Board Thursday night voted to begin the process of closing down a charter school amid allegations that the school’s former CEO rigged its enrollment lottery.
The board voted 8-1 to begin to revoke the charter of Franklin Towne Charter High School. In May, a school whistleblower alleged that the former CEO at the Bridesburg charter fixed the admissions lottery to keep out applicants from predominantly Black ZIP codes.
“I just don’t know how to look at that data and not interpret it any other way than a blatant racist practice,” said School Board Vice President Mallory Fix-Lopez. “I find it offensive when I see that map. I can’t think of any other word.”
That map, presented at Thursday’s meeting, showed 17 ZIP codes in West and Southwest Philadelphia where no one who applied to Franklin Towne was admitted.
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The vote at the end of a seven-hour meeting came despite objections from Franklin Towne staffers, including assistant principal Jennifer Clement. “Punishing 1,300 students and their families and 130 employees for the alleged actions of a few is incredibly wrong,” she argued.
“These students and families should not be punished for the alleged actions of others,” echoed Franklin Towne Principal Jonathan Dougherty.
Franklin Towne can remain open while the board holds public hearings. Board President Reginald Streater said it’s the board’s responsibility to make sure that charters comply with the law, and revocation is not something the board takes lightly.
“If a charter school is picking and choosing which students to enroll, the credibility of the subsequent successes of that charter school could potentially be called into question,” he said.
Board member Cecelia Thompson was the only vote against revocation.
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