New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last Thursday that he is seeking to prevent three charter schools from moving into public places free of charge, acting swiftly on the animosity he expressed for charter schooling during his campaign. Charter schools, which are publically funded but independently operated, have been gaining traction in New York City in the past decade, and for good reason: they consistently produce better performing students than their traditional, public school counterparts. So why de Blasio’s unnecessary attack? The fact that all three schools are operated by the same person, Eva Moskowitz, is telling.
The news behind de Blasio’s attacks on Moskowitz is not surprising for those who followed last year’s Mayoral race intently. They had both spent time in the City Council during the early 2000s and were surprisingly amicable given Moskowitz’s hostile persona. However, during de Blasio’s campaign, she became a focal point for his attacks as he sought to ingratiate himself with Moskowitz’s archenemy, the United Federation of Teachers. In a public forum last June, de Blasio spoke of her with pure vitriol and contempt, stating: “There’s no way in hell Eva Moskowitz should get free rent [for her schools], okay?”
In 2006, Moskowitz began the Success Academy charter program as a single elementary school in Harlem. Today, it has grown to 22 elementary and middle schools, with nearly 7,000 students, 90 percent of whom are black or Hispanic, across multiple boroughs. The qualified candidates for enrollment are accepted via a random lottery system. Last year, roughly 12,000 students applied for only 2,500 seats. If anything, the Success Academy should be expanding to satisfy the growing demand for its schools.
Even Democrats are reluctant to support de Blasio in his attack against charter schools. While some back Moskowitz, others back the mayor and teachers’ union. Gov. Andrew Cuomo stands decidedly on the side of charter schools, indicating the depth of the divide on the issue. Largely a supporter of Bloomberg’s school policies, Cuomo has taken a strong stance against de Blasio on this issue, vowing to “save charter schools.” The Governor’s opposition raises questions about the political shrewdness of de Blasio’s decision.
It has only been 65 days since de Blasio’s inauguration. His actions last week demonstrate his inexperience. He must look to his predecessor for guidance, who rarely made hasty personal attacks which served no political goal. De Blasio is on the brink of making a powerful enemy out of Cuomo. The mayor should err on the side of caution when choosing his future political battles, especially when education is the issue at hand.
A version of this article appeared in the Thursday, March 6 print edition. Email the WSN Editorial Board at [email protected].