State regulators on Friday ordered the temporary closure of a South Dallas charter school because administrators did not check the criminal backgrounds of employees as Texas law requires.
The Children's First Academy also was informed of a complaint that a teacher had assaulted a student on a bus but failed to report it, according to a letter from the Texas Education Agency.
"Conditions at the school present a danger to the health, safety or welfare of the students," the TEA wrote.
"It's a real big surprise," said Kwaa Dean, whose 3-year-old and 6-year-old children attended the school. "People have to go to work. What are we going to do on Monday when we have to go to work?"
School administrators could not be reached Friday night for comment.
Specifically, the Texas Education Agency claims the school failed to conduct criminal background checks on at least 17 employees, including the superintendent ... even after ordered to do just that months ago.
It also faults the school for not reporting an incident in May when a mother told the school her young son was assaulted by a teacher on a bus.
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The TEA said it would appoint a new management team to make sure proper procedures are followed, but it did not specify when the school might reopen.
In January, a teacher at the school was accused of sexually assaulting two students, according to a report in the Dallas Morning News.
