New York Dad Critiques Nikole Hannah-Jones's Public School Choices
An NYC parent argues against the notion that race and income determine school quality, drawing on his own children's experiences.
A New York City father and writer has responded to Nikole Hannah-Jones's essay detailing her decision to send her daughter to underperforming public schools, arguing that demographic factors do not inherently dictate educational quality.
Hannah-Jones, in a widely shared essay, described how she enrolled her daughter, Najya, in low-income, predominantly Black schools in Brooklyn based on a belief in the "collective good," rather than her daughter's immediate needs. She recounted Najya's struggles with classroom chaos and lax academic standards, leading to significant gaps in basic math and study skills when she eventually transferred to a screened high school.
The NYC parent, writing in the New York Post, countered that his own children attend Title I, majority-Latino schools where they have received a strong education. He stated that passionate teachers and effective leadership, not demographics, are the key drivers of educational success. He pointed to examples of principals who prioritized in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic and transformed schools into academic powerhouses.
He also echoed Hannah-Jones's observation that some affluent liberals avoid sending their children to the same schools as lower-income Black and Latino students, even if those schools are high-quality. The writer shared anecdotes of what he characterized as subtly racist comments from other parents regarding his children's bilingual education.
The author contended that the problem lies not with demographics but with a lack of accountability for failing schools and eroding academic standards. He cited Mississippi's recent improvements in fourth-grade reading and math NAEP scores as evidence that even historically struggling areas can achieve academic gains. He also highlighted the success of New York charter schools in closing achievement gaps for lower-income Black and Latino students.
Referencing New York City's high per-student spending, exceeding the median individual income in some cases, the writer argued that the issue is not a lack of resources. He proposed solutions such as increasing the number of screened schools, raising academic standards from early grades, creating alternative paths for non-academically gifted students, and reforming teacher unions and administrative bureaucracy.
He concluded by reflecting on Hannah-Jones's statement about shared "common guilt," acknowledging the parental anxieties surrounding educational choices. However, he emphasized Hannah-Jones's own observation that "Students respond to the high or low expectations of institutions and the grown-ups who operate them" as a more accurate guiding principle for a just public education system.