Megyn Kelly criticized New York Times journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones for sending her daughter to a troubled city school, calling it a “sacrifice” and suggesting that Hannah-Jones is indifferent to her own child’s well-being.
On her podcast, Kelly tore into Hannah-Jones’ recent piece titled “In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?” In the article, Hannah-Jones shared her choice to enroll her daughter, Najya, in PS 307, a predominantly black and low-income public school in Brooklyn known for violence and poor academic performance.
“It’s a terrible school with terrible results. She doesn’t seem to care. It’s like her kid is just going there so Hannah-Jones can feel better about herself,” Kelly remarked during her podcast episode on Monday.
In 2016, Hannah-Jones, who is also the creator of the contentious “1619 Project,” announced her decision to send her daughter to a low-performing school to combat systemic racism in the education system, despite being able to afford a better option. In a recent update, she mentioned that her now 16-year-old daughter was struggling in high school and accused her mother of prioritizing “other kids” over her own.
“I think she might be feeling pressured, worried she could be exposed as a fraud. That’s probably why she wrote this,” Kelly stated. “This isn’t about a genuine revelation. It’s more about her daughter pushing her into a corner, trying to spin it into something positive for herself.”
Kelly pointed out that Hannah-Jones has received numerous accolades for her work, even being referred to as “the Beyoncé of educational journalism.” “Really? Beyoncé?” Kelly scoffed, doubting the validity of that comparison.
While reviewing the article, Kelly remarked on Hannah-Jones’ observations of violence and inadequate meal provision at the school, mentioning that Najya was misled into thinking she was succeeding academically when she was actually failing.
PS 307 has reportedly faced severe issues, including bullying and violence, leading parents to nickname it “Little Riker’s Island,” a reference to the notoriously dangerous jail.
Kelly read aloud a part where Hannah-Jones and her husband contemplated whether to transfer their daughter, to which she responded passionately, “Yes, leave the school! Your kid can’t do math, and the teacher isn’t even assessing her tests. There’s fighting, and no food during lunch—get her out of there!”
Kelly also mocked Hannah-Jones for mentioning that she provided private tutoring to her daughter, highlighting the disparity this creates for other underprivileged students. “She claims to be committed to giving her daughter the same experience as other disadvantaged kids, but if things get tough, she just turns to her resources. It seems quite contradictory,” Kelly stated, emphasizing the unfair advantage it represents in the broader narrative of equity.
