Latest news with #Stuyvesant
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
New York's elite public schools at risk as socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani targets admissions test
New York City's specialized public high schools, long regarded as one of the few bright spots in the city's struggling education system, may face a major overhaul under the potential leadership of socialist mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With Mamdani projected to win the Democratic mayoral primary, his plans to eliminate the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) — the gateway to eight of the city's most prestigious selective high schools — have sparked intense debate about the future of merit-based education in the US's largest school district. These specialized high schools, including the Bronx High School of Science and Stuyvesant High School, have offered talented students from across the city an opportunity to escape underperforming local schools and attend some of the nation's top public high schools. But Mamdani's socialist-leaning agenda, which extends beyond housing and wages to education reform, threatens to dismantle the exam system that many credit with maintaining academic excellence and diversity in these schools. Specialized high schools: a rare success story in NYC public education The city's eight specialized high schools admit students solely through the SHSAT, a test designed to select the most academically gifted students. While New York City public schools often face criticism for overspending, lack of accountability, and overall dysfunction, these schools have consistently produced exceptional academic results. They provide opportunities for students from varied economic backgrounds, with roughly half of students at top schools like Stuyvesant and Bronx Science considered economically disadvantaged. For example, 52 percent of Bronx Science students come from low-income families. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now However, the SHSAT has also drawn criticism for what opponents call racial bias. Asian students have historically scored highest on the test; in 2023, over two-thirds of Stuyvesant's student body was Asian. This has led critics to accuse the test of perpetuating segregation. Yet, as reported by Reason, Asian students in New York City also have the lowest median income among racial groups, challenging assumptions that specialized schools are dominated by affluent students. Mamdani himself is an alumnus of Bronx Science and has acknowledged the segregation problem but insists the SHSAT must be abolished. Mamdani's challenge to merit-based admissions As quoted by Reason, Mamdani has stated, "I support measures to integrate our public schools and fully fund our education system, including the abolition of the SHSAT." His campaign focuses on implementing recommendations from the 2019 School Diversity Advisory Group, which call for eliminating gifted programs at elementary levels and halting new test-in schools. Mamdani argues that ending the SHSAT will address systemic segregation and inequality in education. Yet critics warn that eliminating the SHSAT could harm talented students, particularly those from low-income families who rely on the merit-based test to access top-tier education. The current system already includes support programs for disadvantaged students who narrowly miss admission, such as summer study sessions that offer a second chance to gain entry. The risk of losing a proven pathway for talented students Removing the SHSAT may not close achievement gaps but could instead reduce opportunities for many capable students. The exam provides a clear, standardized metric to identify academic talent across all neighborhoods and income levels. Without it, students from disadvantaged backgrounds might lose access to schools where they can learn among peers with similar abilities, limiting both their growth and chances for upward mobility. Mamdani's plans, if enacted, would represent a significant shift in one of the most closely watched education systems in the US. While the goal of increased integration and equity is widely supported, education experts and advocates caution that dismantling a merit-based system without a proven alternative may do more harm than good. As Reason reported, the debate over New York City's specialized high schools highlights a broader national conversation about balancing fairness, diversity, and excellence in public education under the current US administration led by President Trump.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Elite Stuyvesant HS restricts boys' restroom use in ‘cover-up' of anti-Jew graffiti
Elite Stuyvesant High School was accused of a 'cover up' this week after hateful graffiti referencing the Holocaust was discovered in a restroom — by failing to immediately tell parents about the 'blatant antisemitism' scrawled on toilet stalls, sources told The Post. The top-ranked school put students and families on notice that starting Tuesday, it will restrict and guard the boys' bathrooms. 'Due to ongoing vandalism and graffiti, we will be locking the boy's bathrooms and assigning a staff member to the 2nd and 7th floor – the only bathrooms that will be accessible to students,' said the email sent by Dina Ingram, business manager and director of family engagement at the downtown Manhattan school. 'Until further notice, students will be required to sign in prior to using the facilities.' Ingram also warned, 'Vandalism and intentional destruction of school property will not be tolerated at Stuyvesant High School. Disciplinary action will be taken against any individual who engages in this type of behavior.' The missive failed to address the graffiti's chilling content. In one toilet stall, the crude drawing in black marker depicted a person behind a counter with a text bubble above their head reading, '6 mil pizzas? We can only do 271K,' and a bespectacled, bearded man in a black hat saying: 'Oy vey, stop noticing!' Another stall was marked with the letters H.H., an apparent reference to 'heil Hitler.' The drawings included a bear in military uniform and buildings seeming to represent a concentration camp with ghosts flying out. Karen Feldman, a city middle-school teacher and Holocaust educator, said '6 mil' clearly refers to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies, and '271K' is a number used by Holocaust deniers to minimize the murders. 'Using the 271,000 figure to deny the Holocaust dangerously distorts history and fuels antisemitism. Seeing this referenced in graffiti at Stuyvesant is shocking—and a clear sign that our education system is failing,' Feldman told The Post. 'It's deeply disturbing to see Stuyvesant — one of the top public schools in the country—— failing to address antisemitism.' A Jewish student at the elite school who asked to remain anonymous blasted the school's initial response. 'I am disappointed that the school administration decries the destruction of school property but fails to address the blatant antisemitism depicted,' he said. 'They have more sympathy for the bathroom wall than for their Jewish student population.' Only after outraged parents complained did Principal Seung Yu send an email to students. 'I was informed of images in the bathroom that were not previously seen at the time of our initial response,' Yu said in the email sent 10:16 p.m Friday. Yu's email acknowledged, 'Unfortunately, these new images include anti-Semitic content.' 'I am deeply disappointed and angry that a young person in our school would choose to express such hateful sentiments – especially at a time when our world continues to observe the tragic consequences of hate and violence,' he wrote. 'Hate is the highest form of cowardice and indignity.' It's not the first time antisemitism has reared its head at Stuyvesant. Last year, students told The Post that hatred has plagued the school's Jewish families for years. The downtown Manhattan school is one of the city's largest, with 3,254 students, including 72% Asian-American, 17% white, 4% Hispanic, and 2% black. A breakdown by religion is not available. Feldman, who contributed to a damning report on the handling of antisemitic incidents in NYC public schools, said officials 'are not following DOE protocols on discrimination when it comes to Jewish students.' 'Administrators should promptly investigate and thoroughly document all reports of discrimination or harassment,' Feldman said. The school should also notify the DOE's coordinator of compliance with New York State's 'Dignity for All Students Act,' support affected students, and report possible criminal offenses to law enforcement as well as discipline student offenders. A Jewish parent was not satisfied with Yu's response. 'The principal seemingly tried to sweep this under the rug, but when it became apparent the parents and children knew and were upset, he sent the letter after 10 pm,' she said. The Department of Education said it has a 'zero tolerance policy against antisemitism, racism, and every other form of hate. 'We will both work with the NYPD and complete our own investigation to take quick and decisive action, including discipline, community engagement, and appropriate educational intervention to address this incident.' The DOE is investigating why Stuyvesant leaders did not immediately report the antisemitic incident as required, a spokesperson said.
New York Post
24-05-2025
- New York Post
Elite Stuyvesant HS restricts boys' restroom use in ‘cover-up' of anti-Jew graffiti
Elite Stuyvesant High School perpetrated a 'cover up' this week after hateful graffiti referencing the Holocaust was discovered in a restroom — by not telling parents about the 'blatant antisemitism' scrawled on a toilet stall, sources told The Post. The top-ranked school put students and families on notice that starting Tuesday, it will guard the boys' bathrooms and take other steps to secure the spaces. 'Due to ongoing vandalism and graffiti, we will be locking the boy's bathrooms and assigning a staff member to the 2nd and 7th floor – the only bathrooms that will be accessible to students wishing to use the boy's bathroom,' says the email sent Friday by Dina Ingram, business manager and director of family engagement at the downtown Manhattan school. Advertisement 3 Stuyvesant HS emailed students and families about 'graffiti, vandalism, and destruction of property' in restrooms, but failed to mention the antisemitic drawings on a toilet stall. Helayne Seidman 'Until further notice, students will be required to sign in prior to using the facilities.' Ingram also warned, 'Vandalism and intentional destruction of school property will not be tolerated at Stuyvesant High School. Disciplinary action will be taken against any individual who engages in this type of behavior.' Advertisement The missive failed to address the graffiti's chilling content. The crude drawing in black marker depicts a person behind a counter with a text bubble above their head reading, '6 mil pizzas? We can only do 271K,' and a bespectacled, bearded man in a black hat saying: 'Oy vey, stop noticing!' Karen Feldman, a city middle-school teacher and Holocaust educator, said '6 mil' clearly refers to the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies, and '271K' is a number used by Holocaust deniers to minimize the murders. 3 Crude drawings on a boys' restroom stall at Stuyvesant HS mock the '6 mil' Jews murdered in World War II with reference to '271K', the number used by Holocaust deniers. Obtained by NY Post Advertisement 'Using the 271,000 figure to deny the Holocaust dangerously distorts history and fuels antisemitism. Seeing this referenced in graffiti at Stuyvesant is shocking—and a clear sign that our education system is failing,' Feldman told The Post. 'It's deeply disturbing to see Stuyvesant — one of the top public schools in the country—— failing to address antisemitism.' A Jewish senior at the elite school who asked to remain anonymous blasted the school's response. Advertisement 'I am disappointed that the school administration decries the destruction of school property but fails to address the blatant antisemitism depicted,' he said. 'They have more sympathy for the bathroom wall than for their Jewish student population.' It's not the first time antisemitism has reared its head at Stuyvesant. Last year, students told The Post that hatred has plagued the school's Jewish families for years. The downtown Manhattan school is one of the city's largest, with 3,254 students, including 72% Asian-American, 17% white, 4% Hispanic, and 2% black. A breakdown by religion is not available. Feldman, who contributed to a damning report on the handling of antisemitic incidents in NYC public schools, said officials 'are not following DOE protocols on discrimination when it comes to Jewish students.' 'Administrators should promptly investigate and thoroughly document all reports of discrimination or harassment,' Feldman said. The school should also notify the DOE's coordinator of compliance with New York State's 'Dignity for All Students Act,' support affected students, and report possible criminal offenses to law enforcement as well as discipline student offenders. 'Incidents motivated by Jew-hatred cannot simply be dismissed as 'vandalism,'' said Michelle Ahdoot, a director of the Jewish civil rights group End Jew Hatred. 3 Stuyvesant HS in downtown Manhattan is among several top city schools plagued by antisemitism, students say. Helayne Seidman Advertisement 'Covering up and ignoring the warning signs of systemic Jew-hatred can no doubt lead to more attacks like the horrific act of antisemitic terror in DC,' she added in reference to the murders this week of Israeli embassy employees Yaron Lischinsky and Sara Milgrim. A Stuyvesant parent also faulted school officials for restricting restroom use instead of addressing antisemitism on campus, telling The Post: 'This would have been the perfect opportunity for the school to speak out against the rise in Jew hatred at the school and in NYC.' Advertisement Stuyvesant Principal Seung Yu did not immediately return a request for comment. The DOE could not explain why the email to parents did not mention the antisemitic graffiti. 'We are investigating this matter and, should there be any evidence of antisemitism or other hateful rhetoric, we will take appropriate action,' a spokeswoman said. 'Hate has no home in New York City Public Schools.'
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Cop-biting NYC Councilwoman Susan Zhuang sinks teeth into comptroller's race with endorsement
This pol's endorsement could pack some bite. Brooklyn Councilwoman Susan Zhuang, who was charged with chomping on a cop at a raucous anti-homeless shelter rally in July, has announced she is endorsing Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine in the Democratic primary for city comptroller. Zhuang has begun raising money for Levine's campaign in the Chinese American community. Levine's rival is Brooklyn Councilman Justin Brannan. Zhuang's endorsement of Levine isn't without controversy. 'I wouldn't seek or accept her endorsement,' said a Brooklyn Democrat, who requested anonymity to avoid getting in the middle of a party spat. But Zhuang, 39, brushed off any baggage tied to her criminal case. 'I do stand up for people I care about. My influence is not only in my district but all over the city,' said Zhuang, 39. The pol is popular in her heavily Asian southern Brooklyn district that encompasses Bensonhurst, Sunset Park, Dyker Heights and a sliver of Borough Park. Zhuang told The Post she is well-known among Chinese-American activists and residents across the city and is leaning into citywide politics despite her pending case. She said she is helping coordinate a 'Lunar New Year Celebration' for a Levine fundraiser Friday in Manhattan's Chinatown. Tickets run from $100 to $500, and 250 people have already signed up to attend, the councilwoman said. The pol attended a prior endorsement event for Levine in southern Brooklyn on Feb. 27. She said Levine told her he backs the current single-test admissions policy for the city's special high schools such as Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Technical and the Bronx School of Science, a huge issue among Asian-American parents. But when Levine was a councilman, he co-sponsored a resolution that backed state legislation to scrap the single-test admissions policy in favor of multiple criteria because few black and Latino students were getting admitted. He supported legislation to 'establish procedures and standards for admission to the special high schools of New York City which will consist of multiple objective measures of student merit including grade point averages, school attendance records, school admission test scores and state test scores.' Zhuang was arrested on a slew of charges July 17, including second-degree and third-degree assault and resisting arrest at a demonstration with 'Residents Against Homeless Shelters' in Bensonhurst. She allegedly tried to prevent officers from arresting another woman at the protest who was grabbing and pushing police barricades into cops — then bit Deputy Chief of Patrol Borough Brooklyn South Frank DiGiacomo on the arm when he attempted to pull the councilwoman away from the barriers, law-enforcement sources said. Levine's campaign stood by the endorsement from Zhuang. 'Mark is proud to have built the largest coalition of Democratic support in any race in New York City – with nearly 100 endorsements and counting. His diverse range of support reflects the trust leaders from all corners of the city have in his vision for a safer, more affordable New York,' said Levine campaign spokesperson Annabel Lassally. His campaign said the 2014 resolution he backed did not call for scrapping the test, but called for adding additional metrics. He removed his name from the resolution in 2017. 'Mark has been a long time defender of specialized high schools and rigorous school academics and has never called for scrapping the test. His position today is clear: specialized high schools are essential pillars of NYC's educational landscape,' Lasally said. 'The test is the best admissions option currently available but more must be done to expand access to the admissions process and improve our high schools all across the city.' Brannan and Zhuang belong to separate Democratic club factions that have been feuding for years.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
New EV charging stations in Iowa halted, drivers face limited options
DES MOINES, Iowa — Twenty-eight electric charging stations that were due along Iowa interstates are now halted, limiting local electric vehicle drivers. President Trump pulled the plug on the US DOT Federal Highway Administration federal grant program which helps states expand electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. This grant had previously given Iowa $16.2 million to build 28 electric stations. These stations would run along Iowa Interstates 29, 25, 80, and 380. Running through high traffic areas such as Altoona, Des Moines, Ames, and the 'World's Largest Truckstop' located on I-80. The stations were due to be placed near hotels, gas stations, and travel centers to improve accessibility. As of June 2023, the Iowa DOT estimates there are more than 12,000 electric vehicles in Iowa, with at least one in each county. There are currently 270 electric charging stations registered in Iowa. Local electric vehicle owners say that's not enough. Morgan Ogg went electric in December and says while there are several pros and cons, a big issue is charging availability. 'Most of the time when I pull up to one of these charging stations, there's about four vehicles here with me,' said Ogg. 'When you're seeing six chargers, imagine the increase in electric drivers, how spots are having to wait for cars to charge up.' Ogg commutes from Gilbert and was looking forward to a possible Interstate 35 location. Iowa House Republicans pass 2.25% funding increase for schools; Democrats warn of staff, tax implications 'Between home and here, that would be great, I wouldn't have to come out this direction. I actually drive about two miles in the wrong direction to find a fast charger,' said Ogg. Some were prepared for the increase in charging stations and had planned on them when switching to an electric vehicle. 'I was hoping that the infrastructure would improve, and we'd have more and more chargers because I live in the Drake neighborhood, so the closest charger to me still like a 15-minute drive to coming at the high-speed charging,' said Jason Stuyvesant, who went electric in October. 'So, I was really looking forward to some more in the area.' While the public opinion on electric cars can often be pessimistic, Stuyvesant says he sees an increase in charging. 'I definitely, even in just four or five months I've had it, I've seen more and more electric cars showing up at the chargers,' said Stuyvesant. Both drivers say they have electric chargers at home, but they take longer than public fast-charge stations. So, they often opt to make extra trips to the closest fast-charge station instead. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
