NAACP Enters Heated Battle Over Charter Schools
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The controversy over charter schools continues to divide communities, but now the nation's best-known civil rights organization has taken a side and many people aren't happy. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed the following report.They say they're fighting a major battle for civil rights: One to ensure that black and Hispanic students have equal access to education. But the problem is, that's what both sides in the charter school fight say they stand for.
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People says some charter students get more resources than the public school students. They're now suing the city to keep 17 charters from expanding. But charter school parents say charters offer a better education and give black and Hispanic families the power of school choice.
"I don't really understand why the NAACP would be supporting a lawsuit that is threatening to take away educational opportunities for children of color," said one charter school parent.
"NAACP has stood for over 100 years to fight discrimination. And we stand united, right here on 125th Street and Lenox Avenue and Malcolm X Boulevard to say we will fight all people, all people, that want to discriminate against us or our children," said City Councilman Robert Jackson.
It's the second year in a row that the NAACP has joined the teachers union to sue the city for closing poorly performing schools. But this year, the lawsuit also involves stopping charter school expansion.
The charter managers and parents quickly organized against the NAACP. Last week, they held a rally with more than 2,000 people. This week, they went to the NAACP offices and demanded a meeting. The state NAACP president told them she isn't backing down.
"We are not going to let people divide us," said New York NAACP President Hazel Dukes.
On Friday, the NAACP held its own press conference, with several dozen attendees.
"The children from the charter school will get the science labs, and not the children from the public school. That say, the children from the charter school will get the playground, and not the children from the public school," said United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.
The fight is particularly bitter in Harlem, where more students attend charter schools than any other neighborhood. And whether charter schools discriminate or help end discrimination depends on who you ask.