Bed-Stuy Residents Say More Should Be Done to Help Failing Schools

Parents and school administrators in Bed-Stuy share mixed opinions about the United Federation of Teacher's decision yesterday to sue the the Department of Education for closing 22 failing schools.

But even as opinions are split on the direction of the suit, most still agree that the City should do more to support the existing schools that need the most help.

“I think it’s wrong to shut down a school before trying to really fix it,” said Jimmy Montalves, whose grandson goes to a public school in the Bronx. “So where are the parents going to take the children in the meantime? Now they have to travel further just to get their kids to school. Does the City plan to pay for their extra transportation costs?”

“The UFT’s position has always been about what’s most important for the students, whereas the mayor is about politics,” said Steve Burrell UFT Chapter leader at Bedford Academy High School. “The mayor is not community-based. The schools are not getting the real support and resources they need.

"And he doesn’t listen to the community, not even at these hearings. He has his hand-picked people who have already made up their minds. So even the hearings are just for show.”

One Bed-Stuy resident and high school principal who declined to give his name said he felt the UFT was misleading parents, and that if anything, parents should be fighting for new improved schools.

“It boggles my mind how this argument could be so reversed in the minds of parents. Why would any parent want to fight to save something that is failing, instead of fighting for an improved model?" he said.

One assistant principal on her way inside of the high school where she works said that a failing school should be judged on a case-by-case basis, and that while many need to be overhauled, not every one should be closed.

“Part of the problem is, when they say they are going to close 22 schools, a lot of people don’t understand what that means,” said the principal who preferred not to give her name. “They think it means there’s not going to be a school at the location and the kids aren’t going to have any place to go. But that’s not true.

"It’s just a way for them to shift management. So, I’ve seen it work and I’ve seen it not work. And some of these schools need to be shaken up. As a matter of fact, a lot of these schools need to be shaken up.”

Another parent asserted that a failing school should be fixed instead of closed. She added, closing a school only to reopen it with most of the same teachers does not make sense.

“My son is in charter school, so I’m kind of divided. I like the smaller classrooms with two teachers in a class of 15 students. He’s getting more one-on-one help and acknowledgement,” said Alicia Russell, 32, whose nine-year-old son attends Brooklyn Charter School.

“If the school is failing, I think you should look at the inside of it and figure out what needs to be done. But closing it and bringing back the same people and then slapping a new name on it doesn’t necessarily change anything. So none of it makes sense to me.”

Another Bed-Stuy resident whose two-year-old son has not yet enrolled in school felt the UFT should fight to keep the schools open.

“I think the UFT absolutely should fight to keep these schools open,” said Michael Borges, 38. “The City doesn’t want to spend money on any of the things it needs to spend money on, the streets, the buildings and now the schools. They’d rather destroy something than fix it. How is that better?"