In class-action suit, Camden parents want kids transferred to better schools

The parents of three Camden public school students have filed a class-action lawsuit seeking to have their children transferred to better-performing schools.

Lawyers for the parents maintain the Camden school district is not providing a thorough and efficient education — which is guaranteed by the state Constitution — despite getting more state money under the school-funding formula.

Sandra Vargas, who joined the suit on behalf of her 12-year-old son, says the majority of students in the Camden public schools who apply to college have to go to community college.

“Your grade levels … your academics are not to where they should be, and I don’t want that for my child,” she said. “I want my son to be able to come out school, graduate from high school, and go straight into college to continue his education.”

The suit seeks to have the state Education Department transfer the three children in the lawsuit immediately — and to find ways of having all 15,000 public school students in Camden get access to better schools.