Stories From Current and Former Success Academy Parents - NYTimes.com

Stories From Current and Former Success Academy Parents - NYTimes.com:



Stories From Current and Former Success Academy Parents 

New York City parents share their experiences with the charter school network.

 The parent of a kindergartner said that when her son was sick, he was so upset about not going to school that one day away “felt like 10.” The parent of a second grader said his daughter’s name had appeared in the "red zone" in class newsletters so often that she needed therapy to help improve her self-esteem.

One mother recounted how a teacher called her at 9 p.m. to tell her that her daughter was “a joy to have in class.” Another mother said she was called at home and told that her son would be penalized for wearing mismatched socks.

These parents were all talking about the same charter school network, Success Academy, which is run by Eva S. Moskowitz, a former city councilwoman, and whose demanding methods and exceptional test scores were the subject of aNew York Times article last week. The Times invited parents of current and former Success Academy students to write in about their experiences with the schools. The dozens who did alternately described a learning environment that was a godsend for some children and a grind for others. A sampling of those stories appears below.

1. Evaristo Barrios
   His son, 5, is in kindergarten at Success Academy Hell's Kitchen.
   I grew up poor, and my parents never had a choice in where to send me to school. So my wife, Mariann, and I knew we wanted to find the very best option for our son Luke. We were lucky to get Luke enrolled at Success Academy, but the transition was not easy. He had to learn to be disciplined, to follow explicit rules and to handle a heavy homework load. He had behavioral infractions early in the year, and we reinforced the school’s high expectations at home. Within two months, his behavior had turned around and he appeared to be getting into the rhythm of the classroom.

   By mid-year, we were still shocked at the workload but also amazed at his progress. Our son now writes out his thoughts in basic English, reads books to us at bedtime and excels at math. He comes home with interesting science facts and explains how the chess pieces move on the board. I know I didn’t do all that in kindergarten.

   When I reflect on my own education, it is clear that my personal and professional successes cannot be credited to my public schools. That credit goes to my parents, who also come from a humble upbringing and never got past sixth grade. They reinforced that school was important, excelling was mandatory and there were no limits to my possibilities if I worked hard. Credit also goes to a handful of teachers who pointed out what wasn’t obvious to me — that I was smart, but I wasn’t making the effort. In short, my parents and a few great teachers helped turn me into a great student by teaching me to believe in myself. I cannot understand the criticisms against Success Academy, which has consistently shown that discipline and effort results in academic excellence. As adults, we are all expected to do our very best, and we expect the same of others. Why would we want our son to be taught in an environment that would expect any less from him?
   Evaristo Barrios, 50, is a management consultant.

   
   
2. José M. Grajales
   His son, 5, is in kindergarten at Success Academy Harlem 3 and his daughter, 8, is a second grader at the same school.
   We started noticing that our son was coming home soaked in urine in September 2014. Our son was born with a congenital kidney reflux so we thought those accidents were related to this condition. We spoke with his urologist, who gave us a letter stating that our son should be allowed to use the bathroom. We provided the letter to Success Academy, but the incidents continued until recently. We think our son might be urinating himself because of limited bathroom breaks at Success. We have contacted the school on several occasions about this issue. Our son has no problems using the bathroom outside of school.

   Our daughter, who has a learning disability, is in second grade at Success Academy. She receives services, like speech therapy, occupational therapy and additional help. Initially our daughter enjoyed going to school. However, after the first few weeks our daughter’s struggles became obvious. Her name was highlighted in a “red” section of the weekly class newsletter for math. She consistently falls into the “red” week after week, and that started to affect her emotional well-being. We placed her in play therapy outside of school because her self-esteem was suffering.

   We feel strongly that our daughter can learn if she was placed in a nurturing and supportive environment where she can be challenged. Our daughter needs to be challenged, not in a punitive and public shaming way but with realistic goals and encouragement.

   I feel that not all children are a good fit for Success Academy. For those who try and try and can never get out of the “red,” Success Academy is not for them, and parents of special needs children should be wary. We are exploring other options for our children, and we are hoping for better options for the next school year.
   José M. Grajales, 40, is a lawyer.
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