State Senator Jesse Hamilton (D-Central Brooklyn) alongside a dozen parents and education advocates stood up against the imposed changes to Medgar Evers Preparatory School and P.S. 235 earlier today by staging a sit-in at the Department of Education’s (DOE) headquarters in lower Manhattan.
The group sat in the lobby of the DOE’s office to personally voice their objections to the changes in admission policies at both of the high performing Brooklyn Schools. The group chanted things like “Leave Us Alone! And “Whose School? Our School!,” while in the lobby before heading out to the steps of the DOE building to continue their protest against the policy changes.
In October, the DOE announced two changes targeted for implementation at the academically successful MECPS. The first, a technical change, would centralize the MCEPS middle school admission process into the DOE’s current system. The second, would work to recruit and admit a larger number of students with disabilities (IEP), consistent with the percentage in District 17, which includes the neighborhoods of Prospect Heights, East Flatbush and Crown Heights.
While last Spring, the DOE decided to end the entrance exam for PS. 235 in conjunction with the school’s Principal, opting to no longer give a standardized test as part of the admission process at the highly competitive and successful middle school.
Hamilton was quick to note the lack of communication and community input the DOE had in making the changes that will affect not just the schools but the Crown Heights community at large. MECPS has been a source of pride in the African-American community since its inception 16 years ago, the school sends its graduates both to the Ivy League and to historically black colleges such as Howard University and Spelman College.
“The parents and educators at Medgar Evers College Preparatory School deserve to have their voices heard. They deserve a say before the Department of Education imposes changes on admissions or other major areas that will impact the success of this high-performing school. Failing to consult with parent and educators is unacceptable. That’s why I am introducing legislation that will enshrine this simple principle in State law,” said Hamilton.
Hamilton hopes to preserve the legacy of schools like MECPS and P.S. 235 by introducing legislation that would make protect such changes from automatically being implemented into a school without community input. Hamilton also committed to giving $50,000 for a computer lab at the school.
Also lending their voice to the protest were other Central Brooklyn lawmakers including Assembly Members Walter T. Mosley and Diana Richardson, and City Council Member Laurie Cumbo.
“As we nurture the next generation of leaders and influencers, it is imperative that we create opportunities for every student to pursue higher education and career success. Ultimately, any decision to change a school’s admission process must prioritize the needs of its surrounding community while creating a positive environment that supports academic excellence and promotes the holistic well-being of every student,” said Cumbo.
Mosley noted for over a decade Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (MECPS) has been one of the top performing middle schools in New York City. “Thus, it is incomprehensible that the DOE would attempt to water-down their academic standards, and limit their student body diversity by altering the admissions policy to concentrate on low-income, minority students in a school that already has a sizeable population of both,” he said.
At the event parents and educators demanded that the DOE reverse their decision and prioritize the success of the students. MECPS currently lacks a gymnasium and auditorium as well as a computer lab.
Norelda Cotterel, MECPS PTA Executive Board Member, warned the mayor and others about the repercussions the imposed changes would have on the curriculum at the school that includes Mandarin courses and an accelerated program with Advanced Placement courses.
“Every move DOE has made is to dismantle Medgar Evers, what is DOE’s agenda? Is it to further our education or put us down a hole? We are telling DOE hands off! We will not stop, we will not give up on the education of our children! They deserve quality education like any other child. We are a beacon of hope, DOE should be proud of us, DOE should be using us as an example,” said Cotterel.
Another parent, Aleah Vaughn, pointed out the need for an entrance exam at P.S. 235, a feeder school to MECPS, in order to keep the school competitive but also to keep the level of academics at a high caliber. Vaughn also went on to note that the admission changes at MECPS would only decrease diversity at the school by limiting the selection pool to district 17 and even hinted that maybe the changes are due to the percentage of failing schools in districts across Central Brooklyn.
MECPS students have excelled academically with 84% of their middle grade students meeting state proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) and 78% in math, far surpassing the majority of NYC schools where less than 38% of students meet state proficiency in ELA and math.
“There so many failing high schools that they can change, use Medgar Evers Prep as an example on how to educate our children. We can’t dumb-down our children because they don’t know how to educate our children, and that’s the problem. Leave us alone and deal with the schools you have already,” added Hamilton.
However, the DOE remains committed to keeping Medgar Evers a citywide middle school and working with the local community on the proposed changes.
“We are working to bring all middle schools into the City’s middle school admissions process, and this technical change will not affect Medgar Evers’s instructional program. We are collaborating with the Medgar Evers community on this technical change, and PS 235 has already joined the City’s middle school admissions process,” according to DOE spokesperson Will Mantell.
