On Thursday morning, more than a dozen Bridgeport parents gathered at Park City Prep Middle School to voice their opposition to a proposed bill that would impose a two-year moratorium on charter schools.

Opponents allege that Senate Bill 1096, which is on the agenda for Friday afternoon’s Education Committee meeting, wouldn’t only stop new charter schools from opening, but could lead to further legislation blocking existing charter schools from expanding grade levels or class sizes.

Bridgeport parent of three Claudia Phillips said she was “sad and frustrated” by the prospect of a moratorium.

“More than 10,000 of the children attending one of the struggling schools through the state live in Bridgeport,” said Phillips. “We need our legislators to act. Don’t stand in the way.”

Another parent, Idella Bullock, called the proposed moratorium “ludicrous.”

“To me as a parent it does not make sense,” said Bullock.

The moratorium is of particular concern in Bridgeport, where one of the two charter schools approved by the State Board of Education last year is slated to open this fall.

While Capital Prep Harbor School, which is set to open in August with grades six through 12, wouldn’t be directly affected by the moratorium, parents are worried that the seats at the school will not be funded by the state legislature if the moratorium bill passes.

Princess Tompkins, a parent of two children currently attending Madison School, said she has tried for years to get her children into one of Bridgeport’s high performing charter or magnet schools.

While she is happy with Madison School, which only goes up to sixth grade, she’s so worried about her son going on to seventh grade that she has thought about moving.

“If we don’t get into any of the other charter schools, we’re gonna move,” said Tompkins. “I can’t sacrifice my child.”

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