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amNew York Op-Ed: The Third Path Nikole Hannah-Jones Left Out

Ascend Public Charter Schools


September 25, 2026

Nikole Hannah-Jones’s deeply personal New York Times Magazine essay has sparked an important national conversation about families, school choice, and what we should expect from public education.

In a new amNew York op-ed, Ascend Chief People and Schools Officer Tahiri Jean-Baptiste joins Lavinia Mackall and Crystal Lane to add another perspective to that conversation: the experience of more than 150,000 New York City students who attend public charter schools.

Together, they make the case for moving beyond old charter-versus-district debates and focusing instead on where students are thriving, what’s working, and how educators across New York City can learn from one another.

At Ascend, we’re proud to be part of that conversation and committed to sharing what works while continuing to learn from educators across our city.

Click here to read the full op-ed.

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