Court Deals Blow To Proposed Miami-Dade Charter School

MIAMI (CBSMiami/NSF) - A South Florida appeals court has turned down arguments raised by backers of a proposed charter school that was blocked by the Miami-Dade County Commission.

Somerset Academy, Inc. and The University Baptist Church, Inc., sought a zoning exception from the county to build a charter school and an accompanying religious facility, according to Wednesday's ruling by a three-judge panel of the 3rd District Court of Appeal.

The county commission, however, rejected the request, causing the charter-school backers to seek a review in circuit court. But a circuit-court appellate panel denied review, and the 3rd District judges backed that decision Wednesday.

"Because the circuit court afforded procedural due process and applied the correct law, we deny the petition," the five-page ruling by Judges Ivan Fernandez, Monica Gordo, and Fleur Lobree said.