Brooklyn Dreams Charter School has no place in School District 22, parents say.
A public hearing last week brought out a few dozen parents, educators and politicians opposed to the possibility of the school opening in District 22, which includes Mill Basin, Bergen Beach, Manhattan Beach, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach and parts of Midwood, Flatbush and Sheepshead Bay.
“You’ve been chased out of two other school districts,” said City Councilmember Lew Fidler.
State Assemblymember William Colton criticized the timing of the meeting – during the summer when many families are on vacation. (The meeting was scheduled by the city Education Department and State University of New York Charter Schools Institute, not Dreams.)
“Why is it that charter schools go from location to location trying to almost sneak into a school in the middle of the summeri” Colton said.
Although Dreams supporters were in attendance at the meeting, the majority of public speakers said the school doesn’t belong in District 22.
Charter schools are meant for struggling districts but District 22 was “the only district in Brooklyn that was in good standing” last year, according to Christopher Spinelli, president of the local Community Education Council (CEC).
Dreams, which failed to secure a location in District 20 (Bay Ridge, Fort Hamilton and Borough Park) and 21 (Coney Island and Bensonhurst), is now in negotiations to rent the St. Rose of Lima School building at 269 Parkville Avenue.
Parents also criticized the state policy that charter schools are not mandated to hire union teachers.
“They are anti-union, anti-UFT [United Federation of Teachers],” accused District 22 CEC member Michael Benjamin.
“We are certainly not anti-union,” countered William Girasole, co-lead applicant for Brooklyn Dreams and the owner of Girasole Real Estate in Dyker Heights. “We’re not required to be [a union school]. But if we were required to be, we would.”
Norm Scott, a former educator, objected to how Dreams would be run.
“Why do people involved in real estate, banking and video want to be involved in opening schoolsi” Scott questioned. “I’ll make a deal with you. You run the charter school and I’ll run your bank.”
“If you are going to lead a school, you should be a leader,” said Alan Abrams, a teacher at P.S./I.S. 206 in Sheepshead Bay. “Do any of you hold a school administration licensei Do any of you hold a teaching licensei You are eligible in New York City schools to sweep the sidewalk.”
Girasole said a board of directors would oversee the management of Dreams and “educators” from National Heritage Academies (NHA) would prepare the curriculum and run the school.
The inclusion of NHA, which operates Brooklyn Excelsior Charter School in Bedford-Stuyvesant, has added to the controversy surrounding Dreams.
NHA “advocates teaching creationism,” charged District 21 UFT rep Judy Gerowitz. “Where is the separation of church and statei”
Girasole insisted, “This is such nonsense. That was seven, eight, nine years ago. Somebody brought a charge and it was summarily dismissed.”
Dreams board member Rosalie Drago defended the school, saying, “We have 1,100 families that said they were interested in the school.”
Parents can expect the charter school battle to continue in District 22. Two additional charter school applications were recently introduced, Spinelli said. Hearings are expected to be held in the coming weeks. To remain updated, contact District 22’s CEC at 718-968-6111.