New York, NY —

Some Manhattan parents want the Department of Education to stop a charter school from taking more space inside a regular public school on Houston Street. They point to a judge's decision Friday to block the city from closing 19 schools because it hadn't thoroughly assessed the impact on other schools and students.

Attorney Kim Sweet of Advocates for Children says the parents she's representing worry that if Girls Prep charter school expands, that will mean less space for students with autism who attend another school in the same building.

“Our problem is that these expansions are being done without adequate discussions with the community about the impact that it's having on all students - particularly students with disabilities and the most vulnerable populations,” Sweet says.

A Department of Education spokesman says the decision to let the charter expand was made after following appropriate procedures, and that the building will not be overcrowded.