Last year, two lawsuits were filed to reverse 30 New York City charter schools co-locations. In July, United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew filed the a lawsuit to stop 11 charter school co-locations, and on December 27th, New York City Public Advocate Letitia James filed a suit to stop an additional 19 charter school co-locations.
On Tuesday, Families for Excellent Schools held a rally at City Hall with charter school parents calling for these lawsuits to be dropped. They claimed reversing the co-location policies for these schools could displace 5,600 students.
According to Capital New York, several parents spoke out in support of charter schools:
Damisa Henry, who has a child at a Success Academy in Crown Heights, said, "If this lawsuit is successful my daughter will not be able to continue to attend a school she loves. I would ask elected officials to come visit our schools. See what you are trying to take away."
Rafael Lois, whose daughter attends Girls Prep Charter School in the the Bronx, said he would have to find another school for his sixth grade daughter if James' suit is successful. He said that Girls Prep was one of the only schools in the Bronx that received an 'A' on the Department of Education's report card, and said his daughter's only other option in the neighborhood would "pretty much be a failing school."
