A troubled public school in the city, where prominent New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones enrolled her daughter as a “sacrifice,” has a reputation among parents for its unsafe conditions, earning it the nickname “Little Riker’s Island.”
PS 307 in Brooklyn has been described as lagging significantly behind in academics, with serious safety issues, including bullying and assaults on teachers, highlighted in a 2023 petition on change.org.
According to the petition, “The school’s safety has deteriorated to a point where PS 307 is known as ‘Little Rikers Island,’” referencing the dangerous city jail that is currently being closed.
Concerns were raised about rising bullying incidents, with claims that students have been physically assaulting teachers during recess without facing any repercussions. The petition notes that many students are afraid to attend school due to fears of violence and criticizes the Principal for not hiring adequate staff to ensure safety, ultimately gaining 111 signatures out of a targeted 200.
“We, the concerned parents and community members of District 13, are writing this petition to urgently address the issues at Daniel Hale Williams P.S. 307,” the document stated.
Hannah-Jones, age 50, known for her contentious 1619 Project, shared in a recent essay her decision to send her daughter, Najya, to PS 307 and a struggling Brooklyn middle school starting in 2015. She framed this as an effort to combat systemic racism, despite acknowledging that she was aware of the schools’ poor academic records and that she could afford to send her child to a better institution.
The author—whose 1619 Project includes books and podcasts emphasizing slavery’s critical role in U.S. history—described her decision as noble.
Despite having received an excellent education from prestigious universities like Notre Dame and UNC-Chapel Hill, Hannah-Jones expressed her willingness to “sacrifice” her daughter’s future for a broader purpose.
“We thought by sending Najya to a mostly low-income and Black school, we could help improve it for all the children there,” she explained.
She and her partner believed their involvement would inspire other families with similar values to engage with such schools as well.
However, her daughter expressed anger over feeling left behind academically when it came time for high school. “So you had money to send me to one of the best schools, and you chose not to?” Najya reportedly yelled at her mother during a conversation about the situation, questioning why her mother didn’t prioritize her education due to others’ disadvantages.
