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A teacher’s email to the CEO of one of the nation’s most prominent charter schools has opened up an entire hidden history of racist and discriminatory behavior the school has shown towards Black and Brown faculty, students, and their families over the years.
Success Academy teacher Fabiola St. Hilaire sent an email to her network’s CEO Eva Moskowitz inquiring about Moskowitz’s silence amid GeorgeFloyd’s murder. “I am deeply hurt and shocked by your lack of words on the topic that affects so many of your employees, children, and families in communities that you serve,” said St Hilaire in the email she sent four days after Floyd’s killing. “All of your black employees are paying attention to your silence.” About an hour later, Moskowitz responded, saying, “I actually opined on this subject early this am. Please take a look,” Moskowitz wrote, referring to a tweet sent the same morning. “I hope you can understand that running remote learning in the middle of a world economic shutdown has kept me focused on [Success Academy’s] immediate needs.” However, she responded to the death of #GigiBryant and #KobeBryant the day after the tragic helicopter crash.
The tweet Moskowitz wrote said, “The horrific, senseless deaths of innocent black men and women must stop. Our hearts break for the families of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and too many others who have died for no other reason than the color of their skin. #BlackLivesMatter.” Not content with Moskowitz’s response, St Hilaire posted the email thread online, which prompted the New York City charter network to address racism and institutionalized racism on a wider scale. Other big charter networks responded to Floyd’s death by canceling class to give time for staff and students to grieve and reflect, but Success didn’t pick up on the movement until several days later, according to New York Chalkbeat. Moskowitz’s negligence ignited the creation of mostly anonymous posts that described racially-influenced experiences parents, students, and workers have had with the institution.
Some of the posts include stories of Black children being policed over their hair, teachers calling the police on children for behavioral issues, and stories of white teachers attacking parents of color arriving late to pick their children up. One Instagram post highlighted a shot sheet for an ad that used Black kids to depict a “bad classroom.” Chalkbeat reporter Alex Zimmerman noted that half of the teachers and principals at Success are white, 27 percent are Black, 13 percent are Hispanic, and 5 percent are Asian. Yet, 83 percent of the network’s students are Black and Brown children that come from low-income families.
“This is all long overdue. I’m hoping that if we get enough people to rally from within, something can actually be done,” said a current Success teacher who chose to remain anonymous. In response to the emails, posts, and complaints, a Success spokesperson said the backlash the school is receiving “are being made by a handful of former employees and families. Our current employees and families overwhelmingly support our schools.” During a town hall meeting with staff, Moskowitz said she “stands in solidarity with all of the protestors” and acknowledged that her slow response to Floyd’s murder was unacceptable. “I was late, and I really regret that,” she said. “There was no attempt to be silent on the issue. I feel very, very strongly that Black lives matter.”
Parents and teachers all began to express their disappointment in how Black and Brown children are treated at the school. “The number of young Black males you’re suspending is part of the problem — you’re suspending them for non-compliance, for having tantrums. That’s a cry for help,” said Erika Johnson, who worked at Success Academy for five years. Johnson previously signed a petition calling for the end of its racist and discriminatory culture. Parents of color say Moskowitz often calls on them to support the school despite her never being available to hear the needs of their communities. “The parents did try to get together and rally when we needed a middle school, and she came out for that. But she never comes out any other time,” said a parent of Success Academy Far Rockaway.
