Phila. board delays vote on charter school

The Philadelphia School Reform Commission this afternoon postponed a vote on renewing the operating charter for the embattled New Media Technology Charter School in Northwest Philadelphia.

SRC Chairman Robert L. Archie Jr. said the charter resolution was withdrawn at the recommendation of district staff, who need more time to further investigate the school.

New Media, which has campuses Stenton and Germantown, enrolled 484 fifth- through 12th-graders in the academic year just ended. The school is authorized to enroll 570.

The commission previously delayed a decision on New Media a month ago to give district staffers time to find answers to questions about academics and allegations of financial mismanagement.

As The Inquirer has reported, the school district's inspector general is investigating New Media 's finances, including allegations that taxpayer money was used to pay expenses for a Mount Airy restaurant operated by Hugh Clark, president of the charter's baord, and Ina Walker, the school's chief executive officer.

Clark and Walker have denied the allegations.

New Media failed to make required payments to the state teachers' retirement system for more than a year. And the school's finances have been so shaky that it has had to borrow money this year just to make payroll.

The school is also under fire from many parents and former teachers, who say the charter never provided promised textbooks, computers and supplies. They also charged that members of the school's security staff have filled in as instructors.

The school opened in 2004 with promises to teach multimedia skills to students.