DETROIT -- The American Muslim Academy in Detroit has shut its doors several weeks into the school year, leaving students without a school and parents out of thousands of dollars in tuition.

In a letter sent home to parents, the private Islamic school said it had to file for Chapter Seven bankruptcy because of the sudden downturn in the economy and a drastic drop in student enrollment.

Some parents said they think the director of the school intentionally kept the financial records hidden from parents.

"I mean what's going on here. Nobody is giving us a straight answer," said parent Ali Baydoun.

Watch: Islamic School Files For Bankruptcy

Parent Chirrinne Zaitouni said the last communication about school closing was a letter from the school stating that the building would be closed for several days because they were having Detroit Energy problems. The school never reopened.

The school was open on Wednesday for a few hours to allow the students and the parents to get their belongings and collect barely used school supplies.

"I've been out of school for over a week and a half. I've been sitting at home, bored," said student Mohamad Bazzi.

Another student said he will register for a new school, but he will have a lot of homework to make up, coming in to a new school a month late.

Tuition to the private school was $4,000 per student, per year. Some parents had several students in the academy.

Parents said some have donated even more money since the beginning of the year in the school's effort to raise emergency funds.

"Why would you collect tuition when there is no school?" asked one parent.

School's Director Mahmoud Hazime has not returned parents' or Local 4's calls.

The principal sent a statement to the parents after the tuition checks cleared.

"The tuition paid this year has been spent trying to meet the lease obligation, pay utilities and pay other bills in order to maintain the school."

The letter added that perhaps the money can be applied as credit to tuition at a future school by the same group.

However, many parents said they would not entrust any more money to the school's organizers.

"And it was this in the name of Islam -- it is not Islam," said parent Lama Farhat. "We are all Muslim and he does not deserve that."