Bills of attainder — laws written to penalize a single individual or institution — are explicitly banned in the US Constitution. But that didn’t stop the Democrats who dominate New York’s Legislature from painting a fat target on the Minisink charter school.
Because they didn’t dare cross the United Federation of Teachers.
Minisink is sponsored by the Mission Society, the city’s oldest anti-poverty group, which has already largely built a facility at Malcolm X. Boulevard and 142nd Street.
It would serve mainly low-income black and Hispanic kids.
It has the support of Harlem’s Democratic leaders; Assemblywoman Inez Dickens is a big fan.
Minisink won a preliminary OK from state authorities years ago, but the city had already hit the Legislature-created “charter cap,” so the school’s been stuck in a holding pattern.
Finally, in a small concession to Gov. Kathy Hochul (who wanted about 100 new charters available for Gotham) the Legislature just slightly amended the law via the state budget deal to allow just 14 more schools.
But the UFT and its allies insisted on one more string: a provision banning new charters in districts where 55% or more of students already attend one.
Right now, that covers only a single district — Minisink’s.
The union plainly wanted a precedent that “too many charters” is a thing. (Or perhaps it just has a problem with Harlem kids getting a good education?)
And the lawmakers delivered. Did Dickens even realize what it meant for Minisink?
The Legislature has weeks to go before this year’s session ends. The Harlem establishment still has time to demand the reverse of this rank injustice.
For once, don’t let the UFT get away with stomping on the children.
This story originally appeared on NYPost
