Three Broward Charter Schools Shutting Down Friday
FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - Parents of students at three Broward County charter schools have to find new schools for their children to attend because their current schools are shutting down as of Friday.
Eagle Charter Academy in Lauderdale Lakes, SMART Charter School in Lauderdale Lakes and Touchdowns4life Charter Middle School in Tamarac will officially close.
All of the schools governing boards notified the Broward County School district on Thursday that they are voluntarily closing their doors to students.
The sudden closure has left students and parents reeling.
"Just closing it down, this is very hard, this is really hard," said parent Shekeila Lindsay.
"What am I going to do?" asked parent Carlene Cole. "I'm really angry because we should've gotten some kind of information before now. I mean look how far into the school year it is."
It's not clear why the schools are shutting down, however, one campus did make headlines recently. The former Dean of Students at Eagle Charter Academy, Jeffrey London, remains in jail charged with sexual battery of underage boys.
It's not known if London's case has anything to do with the closure.
Touchdowns4Life was founded by former Miami Dolphins running back Terry Kirby. Last year, the Sun Sentinel reported that the school narrowly warded off eviction from its home in a Tamarac strip mall.
The letters that were sent to parents said the closures was due to low enrollment, but parents deny that.
"I know they had students, because they had children on a waiting list," said Lindsay.
At Eagle Charter Academy, the school's owner, Edward Miller, is not answering parents or media questions.
All students enrolled as the shuttered schools are being told to attend their home schools.
Click here for a link to find your child's home school.
Students heading to new schools aren't looking forward to the change.
"Just to start everything over, make new friends. It's hard," said student Zucchero Cole.
Broward School District managers said they found out about the closures when parents did. The BSD said all 444 impacted students will be accomodated.
