Councilman Stephen Levin to Eva Moskowitz: "Prioritize pupils instead of politics"

Levin for KING!

“Forcing parents and children to march in a political rally is obscene and has no place in our schools,” said Levin. “It is insulting that someone who is supposed to be educating New York City’s children would choose to pull kids out of school in order to benefit her political agenda.”

Levin calls on Department of Education Chancellor Dennis Walcott to intervene and prevent the political rally from occurring at a time when students should be in school.

Eva has a political agenda? I'm shocked. I truly love Eva. Her outrageous actions end up exposing all the deformers as they try to dance around her actions. Watch Walcott dance around this one. How great would it be for even one public school principal in this system to announce he/she is closing the school for a counter rally? That would make some fur fly as the Tweedies would come down hard.

And I just love the closing:
Warmly,
Eva

Statement from Council Member Stephen Levin

33rd District, Brooklyn

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*

DATE: 9/26/2013

CONTACT: Matt Ojala

(718)875-5200

Stephen Levin to Eva Moskowitz: “Prioritize pupils instead of politics”

Calls on Chancellor Walcott to intervene and prevent Moskowitz’s political rally from occurring during school hours

BROOKLYN – Council Member Stephen Levin is criticizing Success Academy Charter Schools and its founder Eva Moskowitz for prioritizing politics rather than educating the children of New York. As reported by Gotham Schools this Monday, Eva Moskowitz has directed parents of the schools that they “must” plan to accompany their children to a march across the Brooklyn Bridge. She is delaying the start of school until after the march, which means students will lose most of the school day.

Levin is also calling on Department of Education Chancellor Dennis Walcott to intervene and prevent the political rally from occurring at a time when students should be in school.

“Forcing parents and children to march in a political rally is obscene and has no place in our schools,” said Levin. “It is insulting that someone who is supposed to be educating New York City’s children would choose to pull kids out of school in order to benefit her political agenda.”

“This would never be allowed at a public school, and it has no place in charter schools either. There are 24 hours in a day, most of them occurring when class is not in session. I call on Chancellor Walcott to intervene so that Ms. Mosowitz’s political rallies are not being held at a time when students should be learning.”

See below for the full e-mail from Eva Moskowitz that tells Success Academy Charter School parents they must attend her political rally:

Dear Parents,

Your child’s education is threatened.  Our very existence is threatened.  Opponents want to take away our funding and our facilities.  These attacks are a real danger — we cannot stand idly by.

This is an outrage: There are hundreds of empty classrooms all across New York City, and more than 1,000 district schools share space without a complaint.  Yet our opponents want to penalize our success — and are proposing legislation to do so.

These issues are tremendously important.  If we lose ground – literally, if we lose access to public space – we cannot fulfill our commitment to you and your scholar.

Which is why you – you and your scholar, your friends and relatives –  must join us on Tuesday, October 8 to march with other charter parents across the Brooklyn Bridge.

What: Parent March across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of charter schools and parent choice!

When: Tuesday, October 8, 7:30am-11:00am.  Buses will pick you and your scholar up from school at morning arrival, and you will be dropped off at Cadman Plaza in Brooklyn. We will delay the start of school until after the march.

Where: The march will start in Cadman Plaza, go across the Brooklyn Bridge, and end in City Hall Park (Downtown Manhattan).  All families will then take a subway back to school after the march to drop off scholars for the rest of the school day.

Don’t let opponents of ed reform steal your children’s future.  This is about your child, your choice.  Your voice must be heard.  We must show public officials that parents will fight for the right to choose excellent schools.

Warmly,

Eva

___

Eva Moskowitz

Founder and CEO

Success Academy Charter Schools

Matt Ojala

Communications Director

Office of Council Member Stephen Levin

250 Broadway, Suite 1820

New York, NY 10007

718-875-5200 (Office)