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Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOE gives $4M field to ex-chancellor's all-boys school — and girls soccer players get the boot
It's a field of broken dreams. The city Department of Education spent $4 million in taxpayer funds to renovate a Brooklyn athletic field — then handed it to a small all-boys public school founded by former Chancellor David Banks, which promptly kicked out three girls' soccer teams. The power play by Eagle Academy for Young Men II in East Flatbush is under scrutiny by the feds for alleged violation of Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in public schools, The Post has learned. Until last fall, the girls' varsity soccer teams from Medgar Evers College Prep, Wingate and Prospect Heights high schools — all in District 17 and within walking distance of the 'Old Boys and Girls Field' at the corner or Troy Avenue and Rutland Road — used the space for practice and home games. But the DOE gave control of the refurbished field to the 622-student Eagle Academy in Ocean Hill, which is two miles away in District 23, for its football team. DOE workers even painted the school's logo and name in huge letters on the turf to underscore ownership. 'Suddenly, quietly, behind our backs, it got transferred to Eagle Academy,' said Ruslan Yakovlyuk, coach of the Medgar Evers girls varsity soccer team, the Cougars. The girls, 'from poor neighborhoods,' Yakovlyuk said, were forced to play on distant fields across Brooklyn, miss afternoon classes to make games on time, and got home late from pactice. 'Once the facility was transferred to them, they basically said, 'It's ours,'' he said of Eagle Academy. 'My guess is that Mr. Banks gave it to them somehow. It's all politics.' Before Mayor Adams named him schools chancellor in January 2022, Banks served 13 years as president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, which supports a network of five public schools in NYC, and one in Newark, for boys of color in grades 6 to 12. Before that, Banks was founding principal in 2004 of the first Eagle Academy in the Bronx, which formed in partnership with 100 Black Men of New York. Shani Nakhid-Schuster, who coached the Wingate Lady Generals soccer team, was also frustrated by Eagle Academy's takeover. 'Somehow they got the field, and all the teams that played there had to be moved,' she said. Officials offered an adjacent baseball/softball field, but athletic directors deemed it unsafe for soccer because of the pitcher's mound and cut-outs of dirt around the bases. 'A lot of our games were rescheduled. We went all over,' Nakhid-Schuster said, recalling that girls traveled up to an hour or more to home games on other Brooklyn fields. 'All I know is that the girls were really put at a disadvantage, and I don't think it was fair for them. It was a huge disservice to women's sports.' Kenneth Bigley, a sports coordinator for NYC's Public School Athletic League, filed a sex-discrimination complaint on Sept. 30 with the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. 'Taking a DOE-owned facility that was used by students of both genders, renovating it, and then giving exclusive use to a small all-boys school seems the type of situation Title IX is meant to prevent,' Bigley wrote. In December, the federal office confirmed it had opened an investigation. The girls' soccer players weren't the only athletes evicted. In July, the Caribbean Premier League Soccer (CPLS), which had hosted annual tournaments featuring teams representing Caribbean and African nations for 35 years, was forced to cancel all games after the Eagle Academy denied it permission to use the field pending the renovation, BKReader reported. When work was done, Eagle Academy refused to grant the league a permit to use the field on Sundays from May to September, claiming soccer cleats, though less destructive than football cleats, might damage the field's 'integrity.' Besides the football field, the sports complex includes a track around the baseball field and basketball courts. A DOE spokeswoman said management of the field 'was turned over to Eagle Academy stewardship in April 2023 on the grounds of it being the school closest in proximity with the largest number of athletic teams.' But the Eagle Academy, with four athletic teams, is farthest from the field. The three closest co-ed high schools and complexes list a total 32 teams. Both DOE and SCA spokespersons refused to explain who requested or approved the $4 million renovation, and how it was awarded to Eagle Academy. The DOE denied that Eagle Academy barred any school or community group from using the field, Banks did not respond to a request for comment.
New York Post
13 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
NYC DOE gives $4M field to ex-chancellor David Banks' all-boys school -- and girls soccer players get the boot
It's a field of broken dreams. The city Department of Education spent $4 million in taxpayer funds to renovate a Brooklyn athletic field — then handed it to a small all-boys public school founded by former Chancellor David Banks, which promptly kicked out three girls' soccer teams. The power play by Eagle Academy for Young Men II in East Flatbush is under scrutiny by the feds for alleged violation of Title IX, which bars sex discrimination in public schools, The Post has learned. Advertisement Until last fall, the girls' varsity soccer teams from Medgar Evers College Prep, Wingate and Prospect Heights high schools — all in District 17 and within walking distance of the 'Old Boys and Girls Field' at the corner or Troy Avenue and Rutland Road — used the space for practice and home games. 5 The city Department of Education spent $4 million to renovate the 'Old Boys and Girls Field' in East Flatbush, then turned it over to Eagle Academy for Young Men, a small all-boys school, which had its name and logo painted on the turf. J.C. Rice But the DOE gave control of the refurbished field to the 622-student Eagle Academy in Ocean Hill, which is two miles away in District 23, for its football team. Advertisement DOE workers even painted the school's logo and name in huge letters on the turf to underscore ownership. 'Suddenly, quietly, behind our backs, it got transferred to Eagle Academy,' said Ruslan Yakovlyuk, coach of the Medgar Evers girls varsity soccer team, the Cougars. The girls, 'from poor neighborhoods,' Yakovlyuk said, were forced to play on distant fields across Brooklyn, miss afternoon classes to make games on time, and got home late from pactice. 5 The Medgar Evers College Preparatory School's girls' varsity team, the Cougars, were kicked out after Eagle Academy gained control of the renovated field. Mecps Cougars/Instagram Advertisement 'Once the facility was transferred to them, they basically said, 'It's ours,'' he said of Eagle Academy. 'My guess is that Mr. Banks gave it to them somehow. It's all politics.' Before Mayor Adams named him schools chancellor in January 2022, Banks served 13 years as president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, which supports a network of five public schools in NYC, and one in Newark, for boys of color in grades 6 to 12. Before that, Banks was founding principal in 2004 of the first Eagle Academy in the Bronx, which formed in partnership with 100 Black Men of New York. Shani Nakhid-Schuster, who coached the Wingate Lady Generals soccer team, was also frustrated by Eagle Academy's takeover. 'Somehow they got the field, and all the teams that played there had to be moved,' she said. Advertisement 5 Ex-schools Chancellor David Banks served 13 years as president and CEO of the Eagle Academy Foundation, which supports a network of six public schools for boys of color. Alamy Stock Photo Officials offered an adjacent baseball/softball field, but athletic directors deemed it unsafe for soccer because of the pitcher's mound and cut-outs of dirt around the bases. 'A lot of our games were rescheduled. We went all over,' Nakhid-Schuster said, recalling that girls traveled up to an hour or more to home games on other Brooklyn fields. 'All I know is that the girls were really put at a disadvantage, and I don't think it was fair for them. It was a huge disservice to women's sports.' Kenneth Bigley, a sports coordinator for NYC's Public School Athletic League, filed a sex-discrimination complaint on Sept. 30 with the US Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights. 5 The Eagle Academy, which uses the field for football practice and games, has barred girls' soccer teams and other community groups that formerly played on it. J.C. Rice 'Taking a DOE-owned facility that was used by students of both genders, renovating it, and then giving exclusive use to a small all-boys school seems the type of situation Title IX is meant to prevent,' Bigley wrote. In December, the federal office confirmed it had opened an investigation. Advertisement The girls' soccer players weren't the only athletes evicted. In July, the Caribbean Premier League Soccer (CPLS), which had hosted annual tournaments featuring teams representing Caribbean and African nations for 35 years, was forced to cancel all games after the Eagle Academy denied it permission to use the field pending the renovation, BKReader reported. 5 Coaches believe ex-Chancellor David Banks pulled strings to give Eagle Academy in Brooklyn the $4 million refurbished football field. Google Maps When work was done, Eagle Academy refused to grant the league a permit to use the field on Sundays from May to September, claiming soccer cleats, though less destructive than football cleats, might damage the field's 'integrity.' Advertisement Besides the football field, the sports complex includes a track around the baseball field and basketball courts. A DOE spokeswoman said management of the field 'was turned over to Eagle Academy stewardship in April 2023 on the grounds of it being the school closest in proximity with the largest number of athletic teams.' But the Eagle Academy, with four athletic teams, is farthest from the field. The three closest co-ed high schools and complexes list a total 32 teams. Advertisement Both DOE and SCA spokespersons refused to explain who requested or approved the $4 million renovation, and how it was awarded to Eagle Academy. The DOE denied that Eagle Academy barred any school or community group from using the field, Banks did not respond to a request for comment.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Houser gets a win in his return to the majors as the White Sox beat the Mariners 1-0
Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth, right, slides safely into home plate Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, left, stands nearby during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox first baseman Tim Elko, left, tags out Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox's Joshua Palacios gestures after hitting a double against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox pitcher Adrian Houser throws the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox pitcher Adrian Houser throws the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox's Chase Meidroth, right, slides safely into home plate Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, left, stands nearby during the third inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox first baseman Tim Elko, left, tags out Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodríguez, right, during the sixth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox's Joshua Palacios gestures after hitting a double against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Chicago White Sox pitcher Adrian Houser throws the ball against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) CHICAGO (AP) — Adrian Houser pitched six sparkling innings in his first major league start in a year, and the Chicago White Sox cooled off the Seattle Mariners with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday night. Houser allowed two hits and walked three in his first win since May 26 for the New York Mets against San Francisco. The veteran right-hander threw 90 pitches, 56 for strikes. Advertisement The 32-year-old Houser (1-0) signed a $1.35 million, one-year contract with Chicago earlier in the day. He went 2-2 with a 5.03 ERA in nine games with Triple-A Round Rock before he was released by Texas on Thursday. Chase Meidroth, Joshua Palacios and Lenyn Sosa each had two hits for the last-place White Sox, who had lost five in a row. Seattle dropped to 4-1 on a 10-game trip. The AL West leaders have allowed one run in each of their last five games. The start of the game was delayed for 1 hour, 35 minutes because of rain. There was more precipitation in the final innings. Seattle threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with one out. But Cam Booser escaped the jam by striking out pinch-hitter Mitch Garver and retiring Julio Rodríguez on a flyball to center. Advertisement Rodríguez hit a grand slam off Booser in the eighth inning of the Mariners' 5-1 victory on Monday night in the series opener. Jordan Leasure handled the ninth for his first save of the season. Chicago scored its only run in the third. Meidroth singled, swiped second and scampered home on Palacios' grounder into right field. Miguel Vargas followed with another single off Casey Lawrence (1-2), but Luis Robert Jr. bounced into an inning-ending double play. Key moment Donovan Solano hit a two-out double for Seattle in the ninth. But Leasure fanned Leody Taveras for the final out. Key stat Meidroth is batting .419 (13 for 31) during an eight-game hitting streak. Up next Mariners right-hander Logan Evans (2-1, 2.57 ERA) and White Sox right-hander Shane Smith (1-3, 2.05 ERA) pitch on Wednesday in the series finale. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NYC school system pauses parent council elections over ballot problems
New York City paused school board elections just hours after voting opened on Friday, following reports of invalid and out-of-date ballots. Parents began reporting issues with their online ballots in the early morning, including candidates who had dropped out of the race or appeared on ballots for councils they were not running for. The Education Department emailed parents around 10 a.m. to say voting was on hold, according to screenshots obtained by the Daily News. 'Our vendor is currently addressing any technical issues that have arisen,' said Onika Richards, a public schools spokeswoman. 'In the interest of ensuring a fair and accurate process, we have temporarily paused voting. We are working diligently to resolve any issues by this afternoon, and we expect to resume voting promptly thereafter.' Voting had yet to resume as of 4 p.m. on Friday. Parents have until May 13 to cast their ballots, though the city's school system could extend that deadline if the gaffes persist. Parent elections are held every two years. There are 32 Community Education Councils across the five boroughs, as well as four citywide councils: On high schools, English Language Learners, special education, and District 75 for students with more serious disabilities. The councils are mostly advisory, but help inform key policy debates. This year's parent elections are particularly high-stakes after controversies on the school boards prompted former Schools Chancellor David Banks to remove two members. One of them sued in federal court to regain her seat.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Messi meets the Dawg Pound: Soccer superstar leads Inter Miami into Cleveland against Columbus
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi salutes fans at the end of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) takes a free kick against the Chicago Fire during the second half of an MLS soccer game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) takes a free kick against the Chicago Fire during the second half of an MLS soccer game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi salutes fans at the end of an MLS soccer match against Philadelphia Union, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell) Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) takes a free kick against the Chicago Fire during the second half of an MLS soccer game Sunday, April 13, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks) CLEVELAND (AP) — Lionel Messi has played in his share of unique environments as one of the top soccer players in the world. He adds another on Saturday when the Argentine superstar visits the Dawg Pound. Advertisement Instead of Cleveland Browns fans barking at opponents from the bleachers in the East end zone, Crew supporters will take over the space on Saturday when Columbus hosts Inter Miami. The Crew has had the option of holding a match in Cleveland since the Haslam Sports Group took over the franchise in 2019. The Haslams also own the Browns. 'This is a unique moment in time with Messi where we can fill the building and ensure that the first experience that Northeast Ohio has with the Columbus Crew is in a packed house,' said Josh Glessing, the Haslam Sports Group's chief of strategy development who is also the Crew's president of business operations. It will be the 11th match in MLS that Messi has played in an NFL stadium since he arrived in Miami in 2023 after captaining Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title. It is the second time that a club has moved it to a larger facility. The previous matches — nine regular season and one playoff — averaged 61,507 fans. Advertisement Last year, Sporting Kansas City drew 72,610 when they played Inter Miami at Arrowhead Stadium instead of their home field, which has a capacity of 18,467. Atlanta United, Charlotte FC, the Chicago Fire and New England Revolution play in NFL facilities. Last Sunday's scoreless draw at Chicago's Soldier Field had a crowd of 62,358, a single-game record for the Fire. The Crew expect to set a single-game record, surpassing the 31,550 it drew for a 1996 match at Ohio Stadium against the New York-New Jersey MetroStars. 'For Inter Miami to travel around Major League Soccer and for us to be able to take that game into big stadiums and sell them out speaks to the impact he has on Major League Soccer and on the sport. But there's also an exciting legacy impact that I don't think a lot of people have realized yet," MLS executive vice president Camilo Durana said. Advertisement Cleveland and Northeast Ohio do have a soccer history of their own. The Force of the defunct Major Indoor Soccer League was one of the top-drawing teams during the league's heyday in the 1980s. Recently, the region has been fertile ground for youth and club teams. The University of Akron won the Division I NCAA men's soccer title in 2010, was a finalist in 2018, and has reached the College Cup final four six times. The Zips have sent many players to MLS, including Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe. Cleveland was in the running for an NWSL expansion team. After those efforts fell short, a local group this week announced its plans to field a club in WPSL Pro, a Division II and feeder league for NWSL. Advertisement Huntington Bank Field has hosted U.S. men's and women's national team matches, including two CONCACAF Gold Cup doubleheaders. Columbus is one of the original members of Major League Soccer but has found itself in competition with fans in Ohio since FC Cincinnati began play in 2016 and joined MLS three years later. 'We think it's got a real half-life with the Crew in Columbus. If we can do this right, we can create new fans in Cleveland,' Glessing said. 'We hope that these people are going to travel to Columbus in the future to engage with the Crew there because they've been exposed to something new for the first time.' Besides Messi's fanfare, it is a matchup between MLS's only two unbeaten teams. The Crew (5-0-3) lead the Eastern Conference with 18 points while Inter Miami (4-0-3) has played one fewer match and sits in fourth place with 15 points. Advertisement Messi has three goals and two assists in four MLS matches this season. Crew midfielder Sean Zawadzki, who grew up in Olmsted Falls, is excited for the opportunity to play in front of hometown fans. 'To me, it means a lot,' Zawadzki said. 'It's a place I've grown up going to, supporting the Browns and other teams in Cleveland. So to be there, closer to family and friends, obviously is a big part for me. So I'm just really looking forward to the game.' ___ AP soccer:
