Eva Moskowitz's "Suspension Academy" Charter Schools
Hedge fund billionaires and major politicians like President Obama, Republican Presidential contender Jeb Bush, and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo love charter schools. For Obama, Bush, and Cuomo they are the miracle cure for what ails American education. Los Angeles is considering a proposal Broad Foundation to turn half of its public schools into charters by 2023. But what is the "miracle" behind claims for higher student test scores at some well-known charter schools? It may simply be "lock them out to drive them out." Let's look at the Success Academy Charter School Network, whose schools would more aptly be named "Suspension Academies."
According to a report by the website Chalkbeat, in New York City charter schoolssuspended students at about three times the rate of traditional public schools. Chalkbeat found that "charter schools suspended at least 11 percent of their students that year, while district schools suspended 4.2 percent of their students." Their study also concluded "The charter-school suspension rate is likely an underestimate because charter schools don't have to report suspensions that students serve in school."
In a PBS NewsHour interview with John Merrow, Eva Moskowitz, CEO of the Success Academy Charter Schools bragged about high test scores and parental applications for the networks entrance lottery. But she was much more defensive when questioned about the charter school network's code of conduct and suspension policies. Merrow also interviewed Marie Chauvet-Monchik, Principal of PS-138 Brooklyn on the show. Chauvet-Monchik was adamantly opposed to suspending from school children in younger grades. According to Chauvet-Monchik, "When you send a child home, the child is missing instruction. So, I'm actually robbing the child of an education if I suspend the child."
Merrow then turned to the Success Academy Charter Schools where discipline for their "scholars" is much more punitive. According to Merrow, "Last year, principal Monica Komery issued 44 out-of-school suspensions to her 203 kindergartners and first graders." Her school is one of 34 Success Academies operating in New York City. The schools are publicly funded, but under private control. Komery admitted "We do have a zero-tolerance policy around certain behaviors," but claimed "I don't just suspend children as the first course of action" and argued "It's well-thought-out. It's a process, and there are systems in place."
Moskowitz, when interviewed by Merrow, defended the suspension policy because "If Eva Moskowitz's "Suspension Academy" Charter Schools | Alan Singer:
