Not all children are treated equally in New York City

July 31, 8:58 AMNY Education ExaminerLorri Giovinco-Harte

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It's been 55 years since the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling stated that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal," yet according to some New York City insiders, this condition is still very much a reality.

Over at Gotham Schools, guest columnist, Arthur Goldstein has written a post about the vastly inequitable conditions that exist between a public and charter school which share the same building.

PS 123 has been the center of much debate over the forced implementation of the Harlem Success Academy charter school within its building.  It has been a situation which has greatly divided a community and has been the subject of several community protests. 

Being forced to share a building with the charter school has caused several problems for the children of PS 123, the least of which is space.  According to Goldstein, however, the situation reveals a much more serious problem - a vast inequity between the conditions and resources provided to the two schools.  Goldstein writes:

But it’s pretty clear to all that the schools are different. For one thing, all HSA classrooms are painted and renovated before kids even attend. A few weeks ago, protesters questioned why the whole school couldn’t be painted, rather than just the HSA section. You have to wonder why an administration that prides itself on placing “children first” would allow so many children to be second priority.

HSA classrooms are air-conditioned. They are equipped with 21st-century technology, like smartboards and overhead projectors. Parents tell me they get new furniture and carpets. You have to wonder how PS 123 kids feel, seeing what the charter kids get. You don’t need to wonder what parents want—they want their kids to study under the best possible conditions, and HSA is an in-your-face reminder just what lottery winners can get.

One would never want to begrudge any child from learning in an environment such as described to be available in HSA, yet the blaring question we must ask ourselves is, why aren't all children being provided with such conditions? 

It makes one wonders about the priorities of the Department of Education.

Read more at Gotham Schools.