Joel Klein is awarded the HSA3 2010 Beyond Z Award

back row: Sabrina Williams (HSA1), LiSandra Rivera (HSA3), John Bosley (HSA3)
middle row:  Tom Perna (HSA1), Mashairi Motta (HSA3), Chancellor Joel Klein, Glo Anderson-Flete (HSA3)
front row: Ny Whittaker (HSA3), Valencia Motta (HSA3)   

A representative group of Harlem Success Academy (HSA) parents joined the HSA3 Parent Council Executive Committee (PCEC) on the stairs of the Tweed Courthouse in lower Manhattan on Wednesday, December 8th as they awarded outgoing NYC School Chancellor, Joel Klein with the 2010 Beyond Z Award.

The chancellor was awarded a framed certificate, thank you cards and a Harlem Success Academy themed gift basket in appreciation for his unwavering support of parent choice and Public Charter Schools during his eight year tenure as the NYC School Chancellor.  

At one point during the meeting, Chancellor Klein was visibly touched and moved to tears when a current Harlem Success Academy parent recounted his tale of trying to educate an older child in the NYC traditional Public school system before charter schools and parent choice were an option.  “Traditional public schools failed my oldest child.  There is no comparison between the rigorous curriculum and total-child focus of public charter schools and what I was offered in traditional public schools before all of this was an option.  My youngest son is thriving.  Thank you, Chancellor Klein for being our champion for change.  My family thanks you.” said parent, John Bosley, with tear filled eyes.   

Chancellor Klein lamented about the inequity of not being able to find good quality, free education 56 years after the Brown vs. The Board of Education ruling.  Brown vs. The Board of Ed was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed state-sponsored segregation. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9–0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal." As a result, racial segregation was ruled a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.  This ruling paved the way for integration and the civil rights movement.  He encouraged parents to fight tirelessly for what they believe in even after his departure from the office of the Chancellor.  

The event was covered by Fox 5 new and aired at 5 o’clock and 11 o’clock on December 8th.