A troubling situation has arisen at a charter school in the suburbs of Philadelphia, where 20 individuals are now facing serious legal charges. These charges are tied to accusations of the physical abuse of students within a program designed to assist children dealing with emotional challenges. This program at the Chester Community Charter School aimed to support its young attendees, but authorities revealed on Monday that some staff used unauthorized, painful methods to restrain and discipline the students.
Delaware County’s District Attorney, Jack Stollsteimer, reported that the allegations involve 26 young students, ranging from kindergarten to fifth grade. The accused include individuals who allegedly partook in the physical abuse, as well as those who neglected to report such incidents. The inquiry into these allegations was sparked at the beginning of the year when two concerned parents reported that their children feared attending school because of potential mistreatment by staff.
“This is a situation every parent dreads. We trust schools to keep our children safe rather than subjecting them to harm, both physically and emotionally,” remarked Stollsteimer. “Evidence from our investigation has shown that some staff were actively involved in the mistreatment, while others stood by and did nothing. Each adult who failed these children, some as young as five, bears responsibility.”
The alleged abuse came to light in the context of a program specifically created for students needing help with managing their emotions in a school environment. The police investigation identified nine individuals who employed harmful restraint techniques on students within this emotional support program.
Painful tactics reportedly included pinching children at pressure points near their necks, restraining them with crossed arms, and applying a knee to their backs until they were downed. The investigation uncovered surveillance footage that supported these allegations, showing the abusive acts in progress.
It was revealed that several of the implicated individuals were from Peak Performers Staffing, a private company. Although the firm’s founder had assured the school of proper staff training, it was discovered during the investigation that no staff had completed mandated training in restraints or crisis prevention techniques. This gap was significant, given that such incidents require reporting under state guidelines, yet no reports were made in 2024, during which most of these incidents allegedly took place.
The charges laid out include conspiracy, unlawful restraint, child endangerment, and false imprisonment, with nine people facing multiple counts. The remaining 11 individuals are accused of failing to report child endangerment, a duty they are legally obligated to fulfill.
Some of the accused were in custody by Monday evening, while others have agreed to surrender. Meanwhile, calls to the school’s administration and Peak Performers Staffing seeking comment were unanswered. In response to these grave allegations, the school has issued a statement emphasizing its full cooperation with the police investigation and terminating its contract with the accused staffing agency.
Staff members suspected of involvement in the abuse have been dismissed, and those potentially aware of the incidents have been placed on leave. “Upon learning of any possible infractions against sanctioned disciplinary methods, our administrators acted immediately to sever ties with the contractor,” read the school’s statement.
Chester Community Charter School, which was founded in 1998, educates over 4,000 students from kindergarten to eighth grade across four campuses within the Chester-Upland school district in Delaware County. This constitutes a significant portion—around two-thirds—of the district’s total public school enrollment.