A July 7 editorial in the New York Post highlighted the educational performance of 7^th and 8^th grade kids – mostly low income black and Hispanic – in New York city’s charter school called Success Academy.

The 8^th grade kids’ performance on New York Regents tests for 11^th and 12^th year students knocked the socks off of kids from traditional unionized city public schools.  99.8% passed the algebra test, compared to 57 % for the public-school kids. 96% passed biology, compared to public school 65%, and 94.6% passed English, compared to 73% for the public schoolers. The Academy’s 7^th graders did as well.

The Post commented that “the ‘systemic racism lie’ and pressure from teachers’ unions to hide the failings of public schools has led the progressive-controlled State Board of Regents to wage war on the [Regent] exams…with a grand commission of ‘experts’ prepping a report to justify axing the Regents exams entirely, while much of the legislature plots endlessly to strangle the entire charter school sector.”

The Post continues, “Quality education is easily the most important social tool for helping the disadvantaged rise. So how did opposing good public schools (which is what charters like Success Academy are) and high standards of academic achievement wind up as core elements of the New York ‘progressive’ agenda?”

Let me offer a hint: The answer starts with “United Federation” and ends with “of Teachers”.