PHILADELPHIA – A U.S. appeals court has agreed that older refugee students can choose to attend a mainstream high school instead of an alternative school in Pennsylvania.
Disputes over how to educate 17- to 21-year-olds with little formal schooling are erupting across the country.
School officials in Lancaster say they welcome refugees but need the flexibility to place students where they see fit. They believe older students have a better chance of earning a diploma at the alternative school.
The American Civil Liberties Union says that program is less rigorous in both English language instruction and other subjects.
The appeals court has agreed in a ruling this week that lets the ACLU's six plaintiffs choose which school to attend until a trial this summer.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
