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

Patricia Bombelyn is one of the lawyers for the parents. She says children in the Camden public schools are being deprived of their right to a thorough and efficient education.

 “While Camden has gotten more money over the last three years thanks to the funding formula and our commitment to equal education opportunity in New Jersey, its performance has continued in a downward spiral by every conceivable measure.”

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

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

Maria Roldan is another parent who brought the class action complaint. She says the Camden public school district inhibits learning.

 “My son Emmanuel he’s a straight A honor roll, and (we) find out straight A in Camden is like a D in(an) out of area school. That’s kind of hard.”  

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