An atrocious city public school where controversial New York Times scribe Nikole Hannah-Jones sent her daughter as a “sacrifice’’ was so dangerous it was known as “Little Riker’s Island,’’ according to parents.
Ridiculously lagging PS 307 in Brooklyn was rife with severe academic challenges that were only exacerbated by rampant safety concerns involving bullying and teacher assaults, charged a change.org petition in 2023.
“The school’s safety has deteriorated to a point where PS307 is known as ‘Little Riker’s Island,’ ’’ said the furious online petition demanding the resignations of the then-principal and her assistant principal — while referring to the city jail so notoriously dangerous that it is being closed down.
Controversial New York Times scribe Nikole Hannah-Jones sent her daughter as a “sacrifice’’ to a troubled Brooklyn school, according to reports. REUTERS
P.S. 307 Daniel Hale Williams is located at 209 York St. in Brooklyn, New York. Google Maps
“Bullying rates have surged, with students assaulting teachers during recess without consequences. Students are afraid to attend school due to the fear of physical harm. The Principal refuses to hire adequate staff to safeguard students,’’ claimed the petition, which garnered 111 signatures out of the 200 it was seeking.
“We, the concerned parents and community members of District 13, write this petition to urgently address the dire situation at Daniel Hale Williams P. S. 307 School.”
Hannah-Jones, 50, the privileged, infamous creator of the 1619 Project, detailed in a bizarre new essay that she sent her only child, Najya, to PS 370 and a failing Brooklyn middle school, starting in 2015, to try to change what she characterized as systemic racism — even while admitting she knew the schools had horrible academics, and she could afford to send her kid elsewhere.
The principal skewered in the change.org petition appears to have started at PS 370 the same year as Najya.
Hannah-Jones, 50, the infamous creator of the 1619 Project, detailed the saga in a bizarre new essay. Getty Images for ESSENCE
Hannah-Jones — whose 1619 Project series of books, podcasts and other media promote the idea that slavery was the most important part of US history — framed the ill-fated education move involving her daughter as superbly altruistic.
The mom herself enjoyed a top-notch education at the prestigious University of Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill — but said she was willing to “sacrifice’’ Najya’s future for the greater good.
“We thought by sending Najya to a mostly low-income and Black school, we could help improve it for all the children there,’’ Hannah-Jones wrote, apparently so pleased with her family’s place in society that she believed its mere presence could elevate others.
Nikole Hannah-Jones speaks onstage during the 2026 ESSENCE Festival of Culture presented by Coca-Cola at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Friday, July 3, 2026, in New Orleans. Getty Images for ESSENCE
“We believed strongly that if families like ours went into schools like this one, it would challenge other families with similar values to do the same.”
But her daughter was furious because she said it put her so far behind when it came time for high school, the writer publicly acknowledged.
“So you had money to send me to one of the best schools, and you chose not to?” the girl screamed at her mom at one point, according to Hannah-Jones’ essay.
“Because other kids are disadvantaged, you didn’t want to put me in a great school?”
The change.org petition claimed that the school also was a hotbed of racism against blacks, leaving questions about whether Hannah-Jones’ daughter may have been discriminated against, too.
“There is a disturbing bias against African American teachers, parents, and students,” the petition alleged, ripping into its “hostile and racist environment.
“The Principal has been witnessed publicly insulting the entire Black community of PS307 in a meeting. She has made insensitive statements regarding the Farragut Housing Developments: ‘She is glad she does not live there.’ Suggests that black parents increase their vocabulary by learning a new word daily,” the petition continued.
Higher-ups have meanwhile shown “favoritism towards the white population of teachers and parents while devaluing and disrespecting senior teachers and denying tenure to qualified African-American teachers,” the petition stated.
The situation meant “many experienced, dedicated, and talented teachers have left, leaving our students with educators who cannot relate to the students or community,” it said.
The Urban Assembly Unison School and P.S. 056 Lewis H. Latimer share a location at 170 Gates Ave in Brooklyn, New York. Google Maps
The mom herself enjoyed a top-notch education at the prestigious University of Notre Dame and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill — but said she was willing to “sacrifice’’ her daughter’s future for the greater good, reports claim. Getty Images for ESSENCE
“Our once-thriving school has deteriorated academically and emotionally. Our students are suffering due to this decline.”
At PS 307 near DUMBO where Najya attended, the student population was around 56% black, and only 19% of students met the state standards in English — far below the citywide average of about 40% — in 2016, according to Department of Education figures. Nearly 40% of the students had special needs.
At the girls’ middle school, Urban Assembly Unison, between Clinton Hill and Bed-Stuy, there was a 69% black student body, and 40% of all students met state standards in 2024 — compared to 55% for middle schools citywide. About one-third of the students had special needs.