A New Jersey school district that tried to void the sale of a surplus school building after learning a charter school was taking it over has been ordered to pay $768,487 in damages.

The Board of Education of the City of Newark agreed in 2016 to sell off several unneeded properties amid a budget crisis but in 2020 it took steps to revoke the sale of the Maple Avenue School when an affiliate of a charter school operator bought the property.

NJ Superior Court Judge Lisa Adubato. Courtesy photo