Despite the city reeling from Hurricane Sandy, the New York Times still managed to fit in a story about the turmoil surrounding the Park Slope school rezoning. There isn’t any particularly new news — the article focused on the newly controversial citywide policy that allows since-moved residents to remain at popular P.S. 321 while other parents in the neighborhood are zoned out. According to the Times, “Parents living in the zone say that the children who live elsewhere are taking up precious seats, and that families who come to the area without plans to stay long are taking advantage of the rules.” The article does make the point that many of the families who no longer live in the neighborhood had to move because they simple couldn’t afford it. And of course, the real estate issue comes up: a couple planning to sell their apartment, which is located in the new zone outside of P.S. 321, believes it may sell for $100,000 less than expected.
At an Overcrowded School in Park Slope, No One Wants to Leave [NY Times]
Here’s the Proposed Rezoning for Park Slope’s Schools [Brownstoner]
Photo by nyc school help


What's Your Take? Leave a Comment

  1. Now that we live in a mini “baby boom” era, perhaps it really is time to rethink the whole grandfathering of children to their school. if there is a real financial hardship, families forced to move because of hard times etc, lets make an exception based on that. I had to move elementary schools when i was young, its not fun. But its the only way to make a city at full capacity work.

    The population in nyc didn’t surpass the 1950 level until the 1990’s. I like much of what morralkan suggested, let them finish the year out.

    Also, let’s be honest. 321 is a good school, but there are many reasons why some parents prefer one school district over another. Beyond the safe neighborhood, involved parents who are educated, kids are very affected by the general culture of acceptable behavior. And this is not a racial comment by any means – much of white brooklyn is steeped in a culture or machismo or superiority by physical dominance and hyper stereotypical gender roles. And not as much emphasis on intellect, educational values and open mindedness. (i’m sure they believe they are flawless, however, much the same fallacy as we believe of ourselves). So yes, its class, but also culture.

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