McKinney Students Rally Against Charter School

There's a fight brewing at Susan McKinney JHS 265 in Fort Greene and it centers on the future of the 3rd floor.

That's the location where McKinney students like 14-year-old Kijara Moore of Bed-Stuy currently practice their dance moves, play music and continue their aspirations for a career in the arts.

"If this charter school comes in, it's gone," said Kijara's mother, Sheniqua Moore, at a protest Thursday against the proposed co-location of Success Academy.

At issue at the afternoon rally on the school's steps was the inclusion of a K-5 charter program that McKinney parents say will take up much of the 3rd floor space currently dedicated to older students studying the arts.

Success Academy founder Eva Moskowitz said the proposed co-location was prompted by high demand among District 13 parents.

"We have heard from hundreds of parents ... who are looking for another high quality public option for their children," Moskowitz said. "We're very excited about this possible location and look forward to talking with local families over the next several months about how Success Academy can meet that overwhelming demand."

Councilwoman Letitia James, D-Brooklyn, who spoke out Thursday against the charter school's inclusion in the JHS 265 building, said that Success Charter should find another location.

"I, too, have heard from families across the district looking for high quality school options, but, Susan McKinney is not a failing school, and location is everything," James said in a statement. "If parents knew that co locating Success at Susan McKinney would lead to over crowded classrooms and hallways and less space for children to learn and grow, they too would be rejecting this poorly conceived plan."

According to James, the city Department of Education pegged McKinney's enrollment at 440 students, when it is actually 510.

Even with DOE's headcount, the inclusion of Success Academy would put the aging school building on Park Avenue at 102 percent capacity.

James said operating over capacity would endanger students, compromise education, and eliminate state mandated resource rooms.