Charter schools are being unnecessarily harsh in disciplining students with special needs — suspending some for days and weeks on end, parents and an elected official charged yesterday.
Success Academy Cobble Hill mom La-Tasha Willliams said her 6-year-old son, Amani Smith, has been suspended more than 20 times, for a total of more than 30 days, this school year.
“His last suspension was 15 days long,” Williams said at a press conference at City Hall. “How does a 15-day suspension really help a child with [special needs]?”
A dad at the school complained that his 5-year-old son had missed 31 days of school because of unmerited suspensions.
“To have a zero-tolerance policy for 5-, 6-, 7-year-old kids with [special needs] is a set-up for failure,” said City Council member Letitia James (D-Brooklyn). “All I’m asking for is for some due process and some transparency.”
James said she plans to ask the state Attorney General’s Office to look into the complaints.
Success Academy spokeswoman Jenny Sedlis called James’ allegations on the length of suspensions “inaccurate and irresponsible.”