Elected Officials Blast Klein Over Charter School's Expansion
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A group of city lawmakers are lashing out at the head of the Department of Education for planning to use his emergency powers to expand a school on Manhattan's Lower East Side.
Some politicians say Schools Chancellor Joel Klein is abusing his position by moving a program for autistic kids to make room for middle school students at Girls Prep Charter School.
Klein says he's using his emergency powers to overrule the state, after it said last week the move was illegal.
The girls are set to start class next week.
"You have created an overcrowding mess that you now have to clean up using these extraordinary powers," said Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer.
"Process matters. Chancellor, when you say you're going to invoke the emergency powers, you better be clear there is an emergency. Because what you are telling the disabled kids with autism at this school is that they don't matter," said City Councilwoman Rosie Mendez.
In a statement, the DOE said, "The emergency declaration would solely be to provide space for 84 middle school girls who start school in one week and, without our immediate action, would not have a place to learn."
The state says the city broke the law by not formally studying how the change would affect the autistic students.