New York Department of Education Rams Khalil Gibran International Academy Down The Throat Of PS 287 Parents
By Sara Springer
March 27, 2008 - Brooklyn, NY - PipeLineNews.org - At a rancorous PTA meeting yesterday evening concerning the final location of the embattled Arab-centric Khalil Gibran International Academy [KGIA], Garth Harries, New York Depart Of Education Officer of Portfolio Development, summarily informed the parents at P.S. 287 that, "The DOE has made its final decision. KGIA will be coming into this building next year."
That declaration was responded to with anger by those in attendance who felt that the DOE had ambushed them and not taken their viewpoint into consideration in making the decision.
The DOE's decision in this matter directly contradicted a promise that Harries had made just last month at a similar meeting of the school's PTA. At that assembly, parents were told that there would not be a final decision unless and until the community was consulted and their concerns addressed. During last night's meeting one parent said, "You made a promise. When a person makes a promise I hold them to their word. You came here with the intention to bamboozle us...you needed to go back to your office and tell them there wouldn't be a final decision without a community conference."
Harries' hollow defense consisted of repeating that though he was there to hear the concerns of PS 287's parents, he was only committing to returning with a final decision.
Displeased about being lied to, one parent, speaking for everyone said, "We're tired of being discounted and people telling us what to do with our children." Another stated, "We have a school nobody else wanted in their neighborhood being forced on us."
A distraught mother noted the problems inherent with mixing young students and high school kids, problems of sharing bathrooms and as a shy elementary student told Harries, older students come into the cafeteria, sit with the younger students and teach them "very bad words."
Another parent challenged Harries to ask the parents if they wanted their children to learn Arabic, something he declined to do.
Harries was peppered with other questions indicating that KGIA - whom some have called a "madrassah" - was unwanted, that it was viewed as a segregated school with an alien culture.
Councilmember Letitia James addressed the meeting saying that though, "Fundamentally I don't have a problem with KGIA, the DOE never contacted my office and never consulted with my community. I treat this as a fundamental act of disrespect." She said there is a critical flaw in a system in which Mayor Bloomberg has total control over schools. She told parents, "If this is what mayoral control is I don't want it. If we have to pursue legal action we will".
Another parent told Harries, "If we abuse our kids A.C.S. is called. Who do we call for your abuse?" Reverend Dr. Taylor, a community leader, summed up the mood when he said, "Take the bad news back. We resent it and we will resist. It is illegitimate."
This Friday, after the decision has been made, the DOE intends to hold another meeting at PS 287 which no doubt will be even more contentious. Scheduled to be in attendance at that event are Holly Ann Reichert, KGIA Principal and Lena Alhusseini, Director of the Arab American Family Service Center, the Islamist on-site supervisory organization for KGIA.
Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, an avid KGIA supporter whose representative has called those asking for transparency in this matter "racists" and "xenophobes," will also appear as will Councilmember James and other community members.
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