Last night, a heavily-attended hearing about co-locating the proposed Success Academy Charter School in a building that already houses 3 existing public schools in District 15, showed that emotions run (understandably) high when it comes to schools.
Patch reported that, “Many times the crowd, holding signs that read “Co-Locations: Seperate and Unequal” or “Charters = Privatization and Inequity,” would erupt with collective booing and hissing, or applause, depending on which side of the debate a speaker was on. The crowd was loud and at times, forceful in their opinions. One man, who said he was a teacher, shouted profanities, and was escorted out by police.”
The site of the proposed co-location, located at 284 Baltic Street (at Court Street), currently houses the Brooklyn School for Global Studies, School for International Studies and P.S. 368 for special ed children. Success Academy Charter School would admit students for Kindergarten through 4th grade. According to McBrooklyn, “DOE says there is almost enough room to fit grades K-4 in the facility (this will bring the complex to 108 percent capacity). Grades 5 – 8 will have to be located somewhere else.”
Some parents, officials, teachers and currently enrolled students from the 3 schools are concerned about already existing crowded facilities. They feel that sharing the one gym, library and cafeteria with Success Academy would take away from the already enrolled students. McBrooklyn pointed out that parents were concerned, “that DOE consistently underestimates the amount of space existing schools actually need.”
The side that supports the move of Success Academy wants more school choice and sees this as a better option to their currently available ones.
Last night the 5 hour hearing in the auditorium at 284 Baltic drew parents, teachers, education representatives and students. DOE and SUNY officials attended. According to the Brooklyn Eagle, “While hundreds of parents and officials were firmly and vocally against the co-location of Success Academy at the site, roughly a half-dozen supporters held a press conference before the hearing.”
We’ve seen this clash played out at P.S. 9, P.S. 20 and ? (fill the blank in)….. Both schools ended up with charter schools co-locating within their facilities.P.S. 9 ended up with a charter school and PS 20 got an unzoned public co-locating with them.