NAACP Board of Directors Affirms Call for Charter School Moratorium
On Saturday, the Board of Directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) ratified a resolution adopted by delegates at its 2016 National Convention calling for a moratorium on charter school expansion and for increased oversight over existing charter schools.
In an editorial last week the New York Times criticized the NAACP convention call for a moratorium accusing the organization of being “out of touch” with younger African-Americans. It wanted the Board of Directors to override the convention vote. Apparently New York Times editors think they have a better sense of what African-American parents want and need for their children.
The NAACP’s call for a moratorium charged that the recruitment of academically higher performing students by charter schools helped undermined support and funding for public schools and education for the majority of children who remain in traditional schools. Cornell Brooks, President of the NAACP, described charter schools as one step in the “preschool to prison pipeline.”
The Times especially praised New York City charter schools, ignoring a long history of problems with the city program. Success Academy Charter School Network is New York City’s largest charter school network. About 11,000 children attend its thirty-six schools. The network receives federal and state funding and free space from New York City for all of its schools. Currently it is accused of discriminating against students with disabilities, at least according to a filed by parents and New York City Public Advocate Letitia James with the State University of New York, which licenses charter school in the state.
The Success Network is also accused of repeatedly suspending young children who have been difficult in an effort to push their families to transfer them out of the charter schools. In October 2015 the New York Times reported that at least one of the Success Academy Charter Network’s schools maintained a “got to go“ list that NAACP Board of Directors Affirms Call for Charter School Moratorium | Huffington Post:
The NAACP’s call for a moratorium charged that the recruitment of academically higher performing students by charter schools helped undermined support and funding for public schools and education for the majority of children who remain in traditional schools. Cornell Brooks, President of the NAACP, described charter schools as one step in the “preschool to prison pipeline.”
The Times especially praised New York City charter schools, ignoring a long history of problems with the city program. Success Academy Charter School Network is New York City’s largest charter school network. About 11,000 children attend its thirty-six schools. The network receives federal and state funding and free space from New York City for all of its schools. Currently it is accused of discriminating against students with disabilities, at least according to a filed by parents and New York City Public Advocate Letitia James with the State University of New York, which licenses charter school in the state.
The Success Network is also accused of repeatedly suspending young children who have been difficult in an effort to push their families to transfer them out of the charter schools. In October 2015 the New York Times reported that at least one of the Success Academy Charter Network’s schools maintained a “got to go“ list that NAACP Board of Directors Affirms Call for Charter School Moratorium | Huffington Post: