A charter school advocacy group launched a multimillion dollar ad campaign on Tuesday, Feb. 25, to publicize the advantages of charters and defend against Mayor Bill de Blasio’s plan to stem their growth.
The mayor plans to begin charging charter schools rent and has put a hold on all charter school co-locations. A co-location involves moving a school into an existing building where another school already operates.
The Department of Education has already diverted $310 million from a charter school construction fund in January.
The first spot in the campaign by Families for Excellent Schools is titled “Joe” and tells the story of Joe and Joey Herrera, a father and son from Coney Island. Joey overcame a learning disability after attending Coney Island Prep, a charter school. He now reads above grade level and is making plans to attend college.
The spot was created for broadcast and cable TV. It is a first in a series, according to the press release.
“Today’s release marks just the first story we plan to tell,” said Jeremiah Kittredge, executive director of Families for Excellent Schools, in a press release. “The reality for tens of thousands of parents is that public charter schools are educating their children extremely well, and families are committed to ensuring their schools are treated fairly.”
According to the media release from the group, 93 percent of students served in charter schools are black and Hispanic, with more than three quarters living in poverty.
See the full transcript of the short as well as the video below.
Transcript
Joe Herrera: “My son in the third grade was reading two years below reading level, and I was told he had a learning disability.”
“I made the choice to put him in a charter school. Within the first three months he moved up a year in reading level.”
“Fifth and sixth grade, his confidence just kept building, he talked about colleges.”
“Children like mine need a great, viable option in our community”
“I have a GED, I want more for my son and the charter school is providing that for him.”
SCREEN: “Joey is one of the 70,000 students excelling at public charter schools citywide. Help him keep doing so. Visit ChartersWork.org
Follow Ivan Pentchoukov on Twitter @IvanPentchoukov
Friends Read Free