Residents will rally against charter schools

Community members are joining forces in opposition to the proposed Diamond Charter School in Hempstead village. The meeting will be held at the Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School Band Box on Monday, July 29, at 6 p.m.

Organizers feel that adding another charter school in Hempstead will have “a negative impact on our students, the community, and our public schools,” according to the event flyer. Academy Charter School has schools in Hempstead and Uniondale.

Residents are concerned about the public school funding that would be reallocated to the charter school, which more than likely would negatively impact the public schools, the potential risk of segregation and widening inequalities among students and families, and what protest organizers are calling the undermining of educational standards by charter schools.

School groups from Uniondale, Hempstead, Freeport, and Baldwin will also attend to address their concerns and advocate for public schools over charter schools.