Friday Funny: School's Out, Bar's Open

Revelations that a school cafeteria in Philadelphia is being used as a nightclub on the weekends has outraged locals and parents.

1 minute read

April 2, 2010, 2:00 PM PDT

By Nate Berg


It's either an innovative use of underused space or an inappropriate invasion of vice into an educational institution. The bar has been ordered to shut down.

"Fernando Gallard, a spokesman for the school district, said his office was investigating whether the school, the Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Charter School itself rented the cafeteria to the bar, known as Club Damani, or if the landlord did so. In the meantime, Mr. Gallard said, the city has asked the bar to cease operating or the school to move.

The school is home to roughly 500 students in kindergarten through eighth grade. When it opened in 1997, it was one of the first charter schools in the city. Now, there are 67 charter schools educating about 34,000 students, Mr. Gallard said."

Tuesday, March 30, 2010 in The New York Times

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