Cafeteria-Nightclub Lands Philly School in Hot Water

Booze shouldn't be sold in schools, say Philly officials
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 31, 2010 5:46 AM CDT
Cafeteria-Nightclub Lands Philly School in Hot Water
The Harambee Institute of Science and Technology Charter School is shown in Philadelphia.   (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Nightclubs serving booze shouldn't be allowed anywhere near elementary schools, let alone inside them, angry lawmakers in Philadelphia said after learning a charter school let its cafeteria double up as a nightclub on weekends. Officials have ordered the Harambee Institute of Science and Technology, which serves around 500 kids from kindergarten through eighth grade, to end its relationship with the club immediately, the New York Times reports.

A rep from the school district says its trying to determine if the school or the building's landlord rented the cafeteria to the bar. Investigators found that "Club Damani" served alcohol despite its liquor license, a leftover from the building's former use as an Italian-American social club, having expired in 2008. School officials at Harambee—which is also being probed for questionable spending—say reports about the nightclub are “a biased depiction of the true success story that Harambee truly is." State lawmakers plan to amend a charter school bill to ban the sale and consumption of alcohol in charter schools.
(More charter school stories.)

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