School's Out in Williamsburg
Williamsburg and Greenpoint may be filling up with affluent families lured by the recent condo boom, but the well-heeled new residents are hardly beating a path to local schools. According to an article in this week’s Crain’s (sub. req’d), enrollment is plummeting in the neighborhoods’ public schools–it’s down 12 percent in elementary schools over the…
Williamsburg and Greenpoint may be filling up with affluent families lured by the recent condo boom, but the well-heeled new residents are hardly beating a path to local schools. According to an article in this week’s Crain’s (sub. req’d), enrollment is plummeting in the neighborhoods’ public schools–it’s down 12 percent in elementary schools over the past two years, with middle schools operating at 56 percent capacity, on average. The classrooms are emptying as older residents priced out of the neighborhoods are forced to leave and newer residents put off by what they consider to be conservative education practices decide to send their kids to schools farther afield. The trend is exposing chinks in the armor of the Bloomberg administration’s rezoning of northern Brooklyn, which was supposed to create a community where rich and poor (and their offspring) rubbed shoulders. On top of that, it could spell trouble ahead for developers who are marketing Williamsburg and Greenpoint buildings to young professionals with families. And developers are keenly aware of the areas’ lack of pull on the education front. “We have thought about it,” said Ron Moelis, a principal with L&M Equities, which is developing Schaefer Landing. “I don’t have an answer for you. There’s talk of a charter school, a new magnet school or maybe even a new private school. It would be great if that occurs.”
Photo by specmotors.
To 4:21. The local schools were operating just fine before you got here and still are. We don’t need your help. How did we ever survive without you. Go start a Charter School somewhere. Thing are fine the way they are.
Hey 4:21 – If you are seeking quality education for your child wouldn’t you want the best possible quality? Do you really think the best quality available to your child is in Williamsburg? Its not about a pat on the back. Only pat on the back i am looking for is knowing I did the best I could possibly do for my child – not patting myself on the back for being some kind of local community hero for everyone else to admire.
Where does it say that I have an obligation to sacrifice my children to make the public schools better?
Of course they will benefit but it will not happen in “a couple of years”. That is naive to think so. There have been waves of parents before you like me that have kids in High School that have tried to fight this battle before. My son attended a local public school in Williamsburg for a short time. I ended up pulling him out and sending him to Manhattan to PS 116. Looks like nothing has changed.
So are you prescribing to just do nothing, 4:10? What does it matter if a majority notices change or not, as long as positive change occurs? I thought it’s quality education that’s being sought after, not a pat on the back.
4:02 – yes, it’s going to take a couple of years. when the new people clearly outnumber the “locals” the burg’s schools will be as good as any. the numbers are coming as previously posters have pointed out.
ironically, the “locals” who don’t want change will also benefit tremendously. owners of property in the area will also benefit regardless of whether they have kids or not.
Ugh, 3:45. Its just smarter to pick your battles. Does the majority of the parents who send their kids to your school even want or appreciate your help and hard work? Revisit PS 84………
3:18 isn’t nutso. She/he can give to back to the community in many different ways. Working to improve the schools, while being a noble cause, isn’t the only one out there. It certainly isn’t one that will pay off during her child’s time in school. Look what happened to all those noble do-good parents who tried to improve PS 84 last year. They were called facists and other horrible things. And most of them went running for the hills to other public schools schools like Community Roots, schools in the east village and lower east side and private schools. And rightly so. Lets not spin our wheels here, people. Most of the locals see nothing wrong with the state of the public schools in Williamsburg and Greenpoint. If you want to change things you will be met with resistance.
Wow! Nasty has no limits! 2:56 why do you assume that everyone who helps their school is doing so full-time and has nohing alse going on in their lives? Why take a positive comment from 2:16 that is in no way dissing anyone and turn it into something smarmy? Do you think that all people who contribute to their society, schools or otherwise are doing so because they are independently wealthy and they have nothing better to do? We’re all trying to make ends meet but there’s no harm in trying to be accountable in the community at the same time. Stay at work, please. Your lack of compassion is obvious and your need to justify yourself at the expense of others is disgusting.