Charter schools find homes on church campuses | ajc.com

Charter schools find homes on church campuses | ajc.com

Charter schools find homes on church campuses

Setup is a financial aid for both, but critics warn of constitutional misstep

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By D. Aileen Dodd

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

On weekdays, images of Christ are covered in the classrooms at Avondale Pattillo United Methodist Church. Bibles are tucked away and crosses are stashed so public school students can learn in a neutral zone.

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Vino Wong, vwong@ajc.comFulton Leadership Academy shares space inside Friendship Community Church.

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Vino Wong, vwong@ajc.comPosters illustrating Old Testament stories hang inside a Friendship Community Church, where Fulton Leadership Academy students Brison Finney (left) and Kamari Smith study.

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To the government-supported tenant International Community School, the church is a landlord, not a gateway to salvation. The campus is safe and equipped with everything a young school needs, from offices to a cafeteria. More than 300 students pack tiny classrooms and spill onto the playground to unwind, their laughter piercing the silence of sanctity.

Another 100 kids are whisked away to learn in Stone Mountain where a second church partner has offered