Twenty employees at a Philadelphia-area charter school face charges related to the alleged abuse of 26 children. The Chester Township Police Department uncovered approximately 100 incidents captured on security video from November and December, involving students in grades K-5 participating in the school’s emotional support program. Some victims were as young as five years old.
Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer personally reviewed the security footage, describing disturbing scenes of staff using physical restraints on young children, including techniques like pinching, restraining arms, and using knees to force children to the ground. These actions allegedly occurred in a “positive support room” as part of the school’s Team Approach to Achieving Academic Success program.
The investigation began after parents of two separate students reported concerns to the school in early January. These reports led to a broader investigation, revealing a pattern of alleged abuse and a failure to report these incidents. Nine individuals are charged with offenses including conspiracy, assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, endangering the welfare of a child, and failure to report child endangerment. Eleven others face charges for failing to report the suspected abuse, a violation of state law mandating reporting for school employees.
The school’s dean of students and teachers are among those facing charges, leading to a strong response from the school’s attorney who challenges the district attorney’s assertion of equal guilt among the accused. The school has severed ties with Peak Performers Staffing, LLC, the contractor who employed most of the defendants, citing a failure to complete necessary training on appropriate physical contact with students. The school claims it was misled by Peak Performers and plans to pursue legal action against the company.
The Chester Community Charter School, once the largest brick-and-mortar charter school in Pennsylvania, is now grappling with the fallout from this scandal. The incident highlights a critical lapse in oversight and raises serious questions about the safety and well-being of children in educational settings. The investigation is ongoing, and the community awaits further developments in this deeply disturbing case.
