Citizens of the World Charter Lies by Omission About Probationary Status

It is essential that any parent choosing elementary schools be provided with all of the information they need to make these incredibly important decisions. 

With that in mind, we plan on giving you regular updates regarding Citizens of the World Charter School Williamsburg (aka CWC Williamsburg).

We were disturbed to find that Citizens of the World hired Larsons Communications' Ida Linden to write her own blog about CWC Williamsburg that talked about their leap in enrollment.  What that article fails to mention, and what the Kindergarten Connect list of schools did not inform you, is that CWC Williamsburg is STILL on probation to close. 

While enrollment represents a portion of the reasons for probation, the SUNY authorizers of the school were also concerned about their financial sustainability. The current CWC Williamsburg budgets presume access to grants they applied for fraudulently and may not receive.

The issue of Citizens of the World Charter School Williamsburg's deceptive marketing practices in concealing their risk for closure is the subject of recent legislation put forward by State Assemblyman Lentol and State Senator Dilan.

This legislation was created as a direct result of Citizens of the World's deceptive practices:

http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?default_fld&bn=A8302&term&Memo=Y

and http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S5998-2013

“Clearly, non-notification is a purposeful omission of important information by the school,” Lentol said. “When charter schools attempt to recruit parents without informing them that their school is on probation, they are potentially jeopardizing the future of these families. Students could be left with no school to go to, especially if a school closes and the public school they left is now at capacity. Families should be able to make informed decisions, and this legislation will certainly assist the process.”The fact that less than a handful of their students come from within the nearest two zip codes of the school, yet they are housed in the only middle school in the area, means that the Williamsburg/Greenpoint community has little investment in retaining them in that building.

We will write about this later, but you should also know that the national board that runs the school (also known as the sole member of their board), is under investigation for fraud. Citizens of the World Charter schools are fighting lawsuits on both the east and the west coast.

As an added benefit, our neighborhood public schools are in no danger of closing.