Who is the Evita of charter schools? Why, that would be the well-paid ($567K a year, plus bonuses) Eva Moskowitz, the powerful and politically connected founder and fuehrer Of NYC's Success Academies who plans to be the city's next mayor:
Students at New York City's largest and arguably most powerful charter school system are reportedly facing a serious problem — wetting their pants during tests.
A recent New York Times story on Success Academy — a polarizing charter school network with 35 locations in the city — reports several instances of students who relieved themselves at their desk, rather than a school bathroom.
"Former staff members described students in third grade and above wetting themselves during practice tests, either because teachers did not allow them to go to the restroom ... or because the students themselves felt so much pressure that they did not want to lose time on the test," The Times reports.
One former teacher told The Times that she heard a Success Academy vice principal from another school "praise the dedication of a child who had wet his pants rather than take a break."
Additionally, two former staff members at another Success Academy school told The Times "that they recalled having to go to the supply closet to get extra underwear and sweatpants, which were always on hand, for students who had wet themselves."
Eva Moskowitz, the founder and CEO of Success Academy Charter Schools, disputed these reports, telling The Times that students are allowed to go to the bathroom during practice tests even though doing so isn't encouraged. These policies are in place, she explained to The Times, "to mimic the environment of the actual test."
Unfortunately, a lot of poor people approve of this kind of thing. They see military strictness as an important tool in helping their children succeed. But I'll bet Eva Moskowitz's kids get to go to the bathroom.