The Mount Vernon Chapter of the NAACP has sent a letter to the New York State Education Department, strongly opposing the expansion of Amani Charter School in Mount Vernon.
In her letter, President Kathie Brewington voiced her concerns. “I oppose the proposed expansion of Amani Charter School in Mount Vernon,” she wrote. As a local advocate for fair public education, she believes this expansion goes against the values of organizations like the NAACP. She highlighted that charter schools should serve as innovative spaces that help improve traditional public schools, yet many, including Amani, have not lived up to these expectations. Instead, they’ve been diverting critical funds from public schools, creating unfair advantages, and often lack accountability.
Amani Charter School plans to expand from serving grades 5 through 8 to include Kindergarten through 4th grade, starting in Fall 2025.
Charlie Stern, co-founder of Amani Public Charter School, acknowledged concerns about the financial impact on the district, stating that charter schools were designed to give parents choices for their children’s education.
Public hearings were held on February 13 concerning the changes to Amani and another charter school in the city. Discussions revolved around increasing student enrollment and the proposed new grades for Amani.
In her letter’s closing, Brewington urged the state to reject the expansion and focus on strengthening Mount Vernon’s public schools instead. She emphasized that investing in public education is both a legal and a moral responsibility.
Reactions from Mount Vernon residents regarding the proposed expansion have been mixed.
Ultimately, the New York State Department of Education will make the final decision on Amani’s proposed changes, but it’s unclear when that will occur.
