Charter schools are gearing up for another battle this spring—but this time, the focus is not Mayor Bill de Blasio. NY1's Lindsey Christ filed this report.
On the steps of City Hall, parent after parent spoke about bad experiences at their local public schools.
“She spent two hours a day in an auditorium doing absolutely nothing,” said parent Marilyn Askew.
“The school had weak discipline policies,” another said.
“He would come home with one sheet of paper for homework for the entire week,” another said.
The parents are charter school advocates, who say they once were among the 50,000 families in the city stuck on charter waitlists. They're now the face of a new campaign to push state lawmakers to raise the cap on the number of charters. There are now 197 of the publically financed but privately run schools in the city and only 25 more can be opened.
"It's heartbreaking for parents like me who have been waitlisted. We call on you to lift the cap,” said parent Karen Martin.
The campaign is sponsored by Families for Excellent Schools, a wealthy pro-charter advocacy group. The strategy is have parents from low income neighborhoods front and center, speaking directly to state lawmakers—many of whom have close ties to the teachers union, a staunch opponent of charter schools.
"Our choices and our children's right to their future is just as worth of respect as those who live on the Upper East Side," Martin said.
Over the past few months, charter groups have focused on attacking Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has bitterly opposed giving more power and money to charters.
Wednesday, however, the strategy shifted, and de Blasio's name was not mentioned once at the City Hall event.
That may be because the mayor is gearing up for his own fight in Albany—to have his control over the school system renewed before it expires in June.
Many expect any renewal will be tied to Albany raising the cap on charters. The charter-school advocates feel there is no need to antagonize the mayor.
De Blasio's schools chancellor, Carmen Fariña, however, reiterated on Wednesday the administration's position on adding more charters.
"I think at the moment, the number is just where it needs to be," she said.