It says something about the state of the Commonwealth when New York City laps us on education reform. Thanks to now-former-Mayor Michael Bloomberg, charter schools were one of the Big Apple’s education success stories…
…until new Mayor Bill DeBlasio showed up.
DeBlasio is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the parasitic education unions that put their membership ahead of the well-being of students. On their say-so, he is shutting down charters as quickly as he can.
His first target was “co-located” charters (charter schools operating in buildings that also have “traditional public schools” in them). De Blasio initially demanded that they pay rent – never mind that “charters receive significantly less operating funds per student and zero funds for bricks and mortar” as Ed Cox noted in this morning’s New York Post.
Of course, that was just when he was campaigning. Now, as Mayor, he’s moved on…to revoking co-locations entirely. Two charter schools will have to close, and a third will never come on-line.
Parents like Shea Reeder are furious (NYP):
Mayor de Blasio announced that he was closing our school.
My son [with mom Thursday, above] will be evicted from the school that’s given him and all of us so much pride and joy.
And consider these scores: At my son’s middle school, 96 percent of students passed the math test, compared with 20 percent in the school district where I live. Fifty-three percent passed English, compared with 18 percent in my district.
Parents need more options. To evict one of the best schools in New York City is crazy. And the city hasn’t given my family and other affected families any good alternatives. We’re on our own.
Mayor de Blasio promised that “for kids that are in charters now that are doing well, we’re going to be there for them every step of the way.” How is closing our school being there for us?
…
We’re not going to let the city take our children’s future away from us. Today is just the beginning, because families like mine won’t stand for this.
Here’s more on George Reeder’s school – the Harlem Success Academy (NYP):
Ninety-seven percent of its students are children of color. Not only is it Harlem’s best middle school, last year its fifth graders ranked tops in the state for math. Here’s their reward: 210 students have just found themselves school-less for next year, with the local public alternatives being some of the lowest-performing middle schools in the state.
Of course, we don’t have this problem in Virginia, because we hardly have any charter schools. To be fair, NYC’s charter boom was a local effort – spearheaded by Bloomberg – and any local leadership in Virginia could, in theory, do the same. However, Richmond could do a lot more to encourage that – if the education unions’ friend wasn’t in the Governor’s chair.
Still, the trials and travails of being poor and non-white while trying to get your child a good education in the Big Apple should send the message loud and clear to all of us: as the Post‘s editors put it (see previous link):
(DeBlasio) revealed his true colors. Because he did not target one of the mediocre charters. Nor did he pretend he was taking away space from Eva’s kids because they weren’t learning.
To the contrary: De Blasio is taking the space away because these kids are learning. That’s a huge embarrassment to a mayor and his union allies who spend their time excusing public school failure rather than redressing it. So he’s taking it out on the kids. How nasty is that?
Very nasty indeed.
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