Watch video at: GEM
Nov. 17, 2010 - Upper West Side, Manhattan - After serving the community for over 100 years, our space and programs are being threatened. Eva Moskowitz' wants a new private HSA Charter School to co-locate in the PS/MS 165/Mott Hall 2 Campus and over time phase out these three outstanding public schools.
"P.S./M.S. 165 is renowned for its model Dual Language program, Gifted and Talented Program, and programs for students with special needs. It has a long history of community enrichment. It is not a failing school. Yet, a charter school without this long history of success wants to deprive P.S./M.S. 165 and Mott Hall II of space and resources in order to implement their own programming."
The school's community rapidly mobilized and loudly opposed the Moskowitz Charter at their Community Education Council - CEC3.
A crowd of over 500, of diverse nationalities, packed the auditorium to express their outrage and chanted:
"NO to the Eva Moskowitz' Private Charter School Invasion!NO to a reduced school zone which would bring fewer students to PS 165 and allow the Dept of Education to free up classrooms for private charter expansion."
From Noah Gotbaum, chair of CEC3
All,
Terrific meeting Wednesday night. Thanks to the wonderful PS 165 and Mott Hall II communities for hosting, and for all who participated. Over 700 people in attendance, 100+ speakers, and a strong message of unity to the DOE from our D3 schools, teachers and especially parents that we want the DOE to support and invest in our current schools and kids; and that we neither need nor want a new Upper West Success charter.
Also some excellent feedback for the DOE and the CEC on zoning preferences including a desire for a near term limited re-zoning focused on a zone for 452. We will try to move quickly on this including potentially a formal public hearing on December 2, in an effort to lock things down on a limited basis prior to the end of the year. We would then likely revisit the issue on a broader scale as and when the DOE decides to provide us with adequate information, transparency and the outlines of a plan on how they will provide spaces for all of our D3 kids and schools in the near and longer term.
Along these lines, and as per the attached article below from today’s New York Times City Blog, the DOE now appears to be looking to move Upper West Success into the Brandeis campus rather than into 165 or 145. It is not clear how suddenly the DOE is able to make this space available at Brandeis for Ms. Moscowitz when we were told by the DOE all of last year, and then as recently as our last CEC meeting in October 20th, that the Brandeis space is not “underutilized” as it will be required to support the four growing high schools in the building. Much more to come on a district-wide response to this Upper West Success issue, in the next few days.
Please note that there won’t be a joint Rezoning/Overcrowding Committee meeting tomorrow Friday am, but instead we will plan one for this coming Tuesday evening 11/23 with details to follow.
Please also remember that we need a strong turnout in support of a large new school at the City Council’s Riverside Center hearing on the project this Tuesday morning, 11/23 at 9:30! Also check our web site www.cec3.org for other upcoming meetings.
Lastly, many have enquired regarding the link to the petition asking the State Education Commissioner to deny a waiver for non-educators that would allow Cathie Black, the Chancellor designee, to take up her position. The link to the petition - which now has over 10,000 signatures - is http://www.petitiononline.com/DenyWaiv/ Please consider signing on.
All best,
Noah
Noah E. Gotbaum
President, Community District Education Council 3 (CEC3)
154 West 93rd Street, Room 204
New York, New York 10025
212 678 2789 office
ngotbaum@cec3.org
www.cec3.org
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/11/18/new-home-for-upper-west-side-charter-school/?scp=1&sq=Upper%20West%20Success&st=cse
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