2 Tampa charter schools spar over maintenance problems

From The Tampa Tribune: When the first floor at Community Charter Schools of Excellence in Tampa, Fla., flooded a couple of weeks ago, administrators at the charter school asked for help from the landlord, the nonprofit corporation that operates the adjacent Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, another charter. Community Charter got no assistance and had to pay $5,500 to replace the carpet. Then two classrooms were saturated because of a plumbing problem and Community Charter staff again reached out to Brooks DeBartolo, but they received no help. David Mallitz, the treasurer for the charity that runs the Brooks DeBartolo school, says Brooks DeBartolo is responsible only for maintenance on the outside of the structure; Community Charter Schools, he says, has to fix whatever problems exist on the interior of the building. Community Charter serves 420 elementary and middle school students; Brooks DeBartolo serves 340 high school students.