Parents Protest New Success Charter In Brooklyn

By: Lindsey Christ

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A proposed charter school is splitting the Williamsburg community in half, but while opponents turned out in force for a hearing Tuesday, the program is expected to be approved by the Panel for Educational Policy. NY1’s Lindsey Christ filed the following report.

Community groups in Williamsburg say it's a fight for the neighborhood's control of its schools.

The fight over a new charter school is pitting many longtime Hispanic residents of Williamsburg’s south side against families who have recently moved to the north side.

“The north side is totally different from what it was a few years ago, and I don't even feel welcome in this community anymore, and one of the reasons, too, is I can’t even afford to live here even being a person who was raised in this community,” said resident Andy Capellan.

The neighborhood's elementary schools struggle with low performance, and the Success charter schools boast some of the highest test scores in the city in neighborhoods like Harlem and the south Bronx.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg even gave them a shout-out in his State of the City address last week.

Success charters are run by former City Councilwoman Eva Moscowitz and are located in public school buildings.

Parents who support the charter say this neighborhood needs better options.

“This is not about new Williamsburg versus old Williamsburg. There is only one goal that we all have as parents, and that's the best education for our children,” said resident Henry Mazurek.

“The sad truth is I wouldn't go eat at a ‘C’ or ‘D’-rated restaurant. Am I expected to put my child in one of those schools?” said resident Paula Notari.

The charter has been advertising in the neighborhood, including wall-to-wall ads in the Bedford Street L-train station.

Community groups and elected officials point out that station is in the more affluent north side, and there are no ads in the south side subway stations.

“We're talking about a lack unity and the Department of Education perpetuating the issue of separating groups of parents,” said City Councilwoman Diana Reyna.

Although the standing-room only crowd at the hearing was overwhelmingly opposed to the charter school, the mayor controls the Panel for Educational Policy, which will vote to approve the school.