School rezoning plan faces opposition from parents

A proposal by the Department of Education is facing fierce opposition by parents both in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill. The DOE wants to rezone the neighborhood near P.S. 8 in Dumbo and send incoming students

News 12 Staff

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Nov 24, 2015, 8:15 AM

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Updated 3,320 days ago

A proposal by the Department of Education is facing fierce opposition by parents both in Dumbo and Vinegar Hill.

The DOE wants to rezone the neighborhood near P.S. 8 in Dumbo and send incoming students to P.S. 307 in nearby Vinegar Hill.

P.S. 307 has more room, as opposed to the overcrowded P.S. 8. The issue arises when comparing the academic performance between the two schools.

At a meeting organized by the community's Education Council Monday night, the proposal brought up underlying tensions in a quickly gentrifying neighborhood.

Many students in Dumbo are more wealthy than students in Vinegar Hill, which is largely comprised of poor minority children from the area housing projects.

A representative for parents in Vinegar Hill says an influx of white wealthy kids to the community's school will change its dynamic and is another sign that gentrification is squeezing them out.

The Community Education Council will be voting on the proposal in the next few weeks.