The
Red Hook StarªRevue
DECEMBER 2013
SOUTH BROOKLYN’S COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER
FREE
CB 6 WHACKS BASIS SCHOOL by George Fiala
A
t its December General Board meeting, Community Board 6 (CB 6) did something unusual. They voted against the recommendation of one of its committees. Last month at a Miccio Center hearing, the Land Use Committee heard an application from the BASIS Independent School for permission to construct a school in a district zoned for manufacturing. The lot, on Columbia and Bay Street, lies between the Red Hook Houses and IKEA. It was previously used as a parking lot for buses, but posted signs indicate the space is for rent, offering accommodations to build. At the November 14th meeting, the CB 6 committee was concerned that the school would be a charter school, and not consider scholarships for local children. After receiving assurances from the school’s representatives, the application was approved by a 10 to 1 vote. Following the meeting, media reports revealed that the Red Hook community was not made aware of these plans.
BASIS was required to post notices of the meeting in a 500 foot radius around the proposed school, which they said they had. However, there is little housing within this radius, as the area is in a manufacturing zone. It became evident that BASIS, while not trying to break any laws, had done everything it could to quietly slip into the neighborhood without much notice. BASIS had been conducting environmental studies on the land last summer, and has already set up an office at 20 Jay Street in Downtown Brooklyn, where they pitch the school to prospective parents. Legally, the only thing holding up construction is permission from the Board of Standards and Appeals. They were hoping to go before the board with the blessing of the CB6. They already have made plans to begin operating next September with 1,000 students paying $23,500 tuition each. Visitors are allowed to view the meeting, but only CB 6 members may speak. It is not clear that BASIS had a representative in attendance at the
The scene at Brooklyn Borough Hall. Community Board members were joined by guests including Bea Byrd, Lillie Marshall, Phaedra Thomas and Hal and Francis Brown. (photos on this page by George Fiala)
board meeting. The day before the meeting, a local petition drive was started by Corbin Laedlin, an employee at the nearby Added Value farm. The petition received more than 100 online signatures before be-
ing emailed to CB 6 District Manager, Craig Hammerman. The petition asked that the decision be postponed until the community had a chance to hear from BASIS themselves. (continued on page 6)
Alex House program helps young moms by Angela Johnson-Archer
R
aising children is a complex juggling act that requires parents to act as nurturers, providers and disciplinarians. For many teen and young adult mothers, the difficulty of moving between so many complex roles is exacerbated by limited access to education and difficulty entering a competitive job market. Eight years ago, Samora Coles wanted to help the young mothers she encountered while working as Reproductive Health Coordinator with the Red Hook Initiative (RHI). Her hope was that, with some assistance, she could help young mothers become self-sufficient and move away from public assistance programs. With the help of RHI, she established a weekly support group that gave mothers an open forum to discuss their challenges and concerns. Two young strivers climb a fence while their mother watches from a Columbia Street bush shelter. (photo by George Fiala)
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
“Our group was different from other parenting classes, in that all of the girls were young mothers,” said Coles.
Samora Coles with her son Alex and Sheryl Nash-Chisholm of RHI.
“There was no judgment. Everyone was in it together.” Her Young Mother Empowerment Program thrived, eventually connecting over 70 young mothers with valuable employment and educational resources. In February of 2013, Coles became the Founder and Executive Director of The (continued on page 6)