Renovation Controversy in Brooklyn
A recent renovation of a playground in Brooklyn has sparked controversy. The city’s Department of Education invested $4 million in taxpayer money to revamp the area, which was then transferred to Eagle Academy, a small All-Boys public school established by former Prime Minister David Banks.
Now, Eagle Academy’s control of the facility in East Flatbush is under federal scrutiny due to potential violations of Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in public schools.
Prior to last fall, the women’s national soccer teams from Medgar Evers College Prep, Wingate, and Prospect Heights High School all played within walking distance of “Old Boys and Girls Field” at the corner of Corner Avenue and Rutland Road, utilizing it for practice and home games.
However, the Department of Education has since designated the renovated field for the football team of Eagle Academy, which is located two miles away in Ocean Hill.
Employees from the DOE painted the school’s logo and name on the field to signify ownership, which has left some local coaches feeling sidelined.
“Suddenly, and without any notice, I found out we were moved to Eagle Academy,” said Ruslan Jacobruk, who coaches the girls’ varsity soccer team at Medgar Evers. He expressed concern that his players, often from disadvantaged neighborhoods, were now forced to practice farther away, making it difficult to attend classes on time.
“When they got the field, it was like they claimed it outright,” Jacobruk remarked, speculating that Banks had influenced the decision. “It’s all about politics in the end.”
Shanina Kidos Shaster, another coach affected by the situation, also voiced her discontent over the takeover. “They needed the field—it’s such a strange move,” she said.
Although authorities provided adjacent baseball and softball fields, the athletic director deemed them unsafe for football due to poor conditions around the mounds.
“We had scheduled a lot of games, and now we’re just moving all over,” Shaster added, noting that girls, in particular, are at a disadvantage in this scenario. “It doesn’t seem fair at all.”
Kenneth Bigley, who coordinates sports for NYC’s Public School Athletic League, has raised concerns with the U.S. Department of Education. He claims that the facility was meant to be used by both genders, but is now exclusively under control of the All-Boys school.
In December, it was confirmed that a federal investigation had begun regarding these issues.
The field’s restrictions have not only impacted girl soccer players. In July, the Caribbean Premier League Soccer (CPLS), which has hosted an annual tournament for 35 years, had to cancel its games because Eagle Academy denied them access to the renovated field.
Upon completion of the renovations, Eagle Academy did not allow games to occur on Sundays from May to September, making it even harder for other teams to utilize the space.
A spokesperson from the DOE stated that the field was turned over to Eagle Academy in April 2023, and that the closest schools had the most athletic teams—though Eagle Academy is the furthest school from the field.
Questions remain unanswered as both the DOE and the School Construction Authority have not clarified who initiated the $4 million renovations or why it was given to Eagle Academy.
The DOE has denied allegations that schools and community groups have been barred from using the field. As for David Banks, there has been no response to requests for comment.
