Furious parents whose kids have been left to linger on charter school waiting lists ripped into Mayor Eric Adams, after his administration scrapped a plan to co-locate three Success Academy charters in existing public school buildings in Queens and The Bronx. 

Adams and Schools Chancellor David Banks abandoned them, the parents said — blinking in the face of opposition from entrenched political interests, particularly local elected leaders and the teachers union.

“I’m speechless. I’m devastated. The mayor stopped the opening — I want to pack my bags and leave,” fumed Bronx parent Nicole Lawrence, whose 5-year-old daughter applied for kindergarten at Success Academy Williamsbridge in The Bronx.

“I was under the impression that Eric Adams was pro-charter. I guess he didn’t want to deal with the noise, deal with the backlash. I am upset that Mayor Adams didn’t take up the fight. Not letting the proposed charter school co-location go to a vote is unacceptable.

“I think the mayor took the easy way out,” she added, “and now the children suffer and the parents suffer.”

Success Academy’s Williamsbridge school was slated to open in the Richard Green educational campus on Barnes Avenue, until Banks pulled the plug on the three co-locations Monday, citing “significant challenges for the new schools and the existing co-located schools.”

Banks pulled the item from the agenda for a vote before the Panel for Educational Policy — catching Success Academy officials and parents who backed having the charter schools in their neighborhoods off guard. The mayor appoints a majority of the PEP appointees — 13 out of 23 — but it’s unclear if the co-locations would have been approved.

“Parents were blindsided by this announcement. The Department of Education says it’s listening to the community but they’re ignoring the needs of the thousands of families who want to send their children to our schools. They are also part of the community,” said Eva Moskowitz, CEO of Success Academy, which operates 49 charter schools serving 20,000 students.

Charter schools receive funding through the DOE but are allowed to operate independently, often outperforming struggling public schools academically. At one of the nearby traditional public schools, PS 41, only 15% of students passed muster on the state’s standardized math exam and just 18% passed the English Language Arts.

Joseph Melo, who resides in the Highbridge section of The Bronx and who has a son, Josiah, on a charter school waiting list for kindergarten, said, “Eric Adams is not doing enough for charter schools. Now that Adams is part of the system he’s looking the other way.”

“There is a need for kids to have a choice, for parents to have a choice. The public schools have gone down the drain.”

But Adams isn’t the only powerful politician who’s wilting when it comes to school choice, he said.

Melo slammed Gov. Kathy Hochul for waffling, saying she did not follow through on a pledge to lift the state cap that bars more charter schools from opening in New York City.

“When she ran for election, Hochul said she would raise the cap. She should keep her promise. Lifting the cap will give more choices to the kids,”  he said.

“Hochul is aligned with the teachers’ union. They endorsed her. What we’ve gotten is a code of silence.”

Hochul did not mention charter schools at all in her recent 2023 State of the State address and policy book. She will submit her executive budget plan next week.

Parents with kids on charter school waiting lists in Queens were also bummed out.

Two new Success Academy charter schools proposed to be co-located in the Springfield Gardens Educational Campus and Catherine & Count Basie Middle School 72 in the Rochdale Village section of Jamaica were also sidelined by the Adams administration.

Parent Dave Bell, whose daughter Yariah applied for kindergarten at the proposed  Success Academy in Springfield Gardens said, “I don’t believe Mayor Adams is showing the courage of getting behind charter schools. Adams is not showing enough fight. I was really surprised.” 

The 29-year-old dad said he has three nephews who attend other Success Academy charter schools, which he has visited.

“I see how good Success Academy is. I definitely see the difference in the results with regular public schools. Charter schools are blowing regular public schools out the window,” Bell said.

“I am disappointed with Eric Adams. Adams said he’s all for change. Adams should be advocating for more charter schools.”

Adams and Chancellor Banks had no immediate comment.

But Banks defended his decision to scuttle the three charter school co-locations on Monday, saying it was based on discussions and input with all “stakeholders” and touring the buildings.

“After hearing from community members throughout this entire process that the proposals would create significant challenges for the new schools and the existing co-located schools,” Banks said.

He noted that under state law, the DOE has an obligation to help find the Success Academy’s three approved charter schools space at alternative locations.

“We are committed to continue to work with Success Academies to find suitable facilities for their new schools … Being responsive to families, staff, and community input is a core pillar of this administration, and we welcome all voices to take part in these discussions,” Banks said.

Opponents of the co-location plan included allies of the mayor — Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson.

Also objecting were powerful players Adams needs in order to get his agenda through the City Council and Albany — Council Speaker Adrienne Adams and state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx).

The United Federation of Teachers, charter school opponents, also submitted a letter to members of the Panel for Educational Policy objecting to the co-locations.