Asian-American parents delivered a simple message to Democratic New York lawmakers Friday: Lift the charter school cap!
“We pay so many taxes. We have a right as parents and children to the best education, best schools and best academics for all our children,” said parent Judy Wong, during a rally outside the Department of Education headquarters in lower Manhattan.
Wong, who has two public school kids, ages 11 and 15, said all students “whatever the economic status or their race or the color of their skin or whatever their family background” should have the opportunity to enroll in publicly-funded charter schools as well as traditional public schools.
“Right now I feel like we are not competitive. I think they [students] are learning a lot of politics, about sex and all this other stuff — but they can’t do math.”
The push from the Asian-American community for school choice in New York comes just three days after 500 predominantly black and Hispanic parents held a pro-charter school event outside nearby City Hall.
The parent-driven campaign comes as Gov. Kathy Hochul’s plan to lift the cap has faced fierce resistance from state Democratic legislators allied with the anti-charter teachers union, the United Federation of Teachers, who claim charters siphon funds and students from traditional public schools.
But Yiatin Chu, a parent of a 12-year-old and president and founder of Asian Wave Alliance, said, “Charter schools have delivered results for New York City families and we should have a choice. Our public schools are failing us and they can’t trap us in this failing system. We need more choices, we need to lift the cap.”
Chu said her daughter is getting a “very mediocre education” — even at a gifted and talented program in a traditional public school…
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