HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Late Friday, a Hillsborough County judge ordered Walton Academy for the Performing Arts to close its doors, siding with the school district after the charter school defied orders and continued operating.
Earlier this week, the Hillsborough County School Board voted to revoke the school’s charter, citing safety concerns. But even after that decision, the school stayed open, prompting the district to seek an injunction in court.
During Friday’s three-hour hearing, the district’s head of security testified that the school had repeatedly failed inspections over the years, not just because of a broken emergency alert system, but also because of unlocked doors and open gates that put students at risk…