Two years ago Spitzer sued the Black principal of a Harlem based independent school that was providing education through High School for $3000 per year because, he said, her promotional literature was deceptive. Spitzer's press release of March 29, 2001, includes the following allegation "The Attorney General's investigation found that school officials used newspaper ads, brochures and word-of-mouth advertisements to lure students into the school. In printed materials, school officials promised parents that students would receive a high-quality education and that a diploma from HICS would open doors to the country's elite"

Spitzer Believes In Pulling Black Folks Down By Their Boot Straps

At issue was the fact that the school's principal and founder, Wallie Simpson a Black woman,had, mainly through her own determination, but also with the help of several grants from Kermit Eady and Black United Fund of New York, operated a successful school with a charter approved for grades k through 8 for over 20 years under the name Lower East Side Community School. Simpson had begun operating the school in Harlem adding grades 9 through 12 under the name Harlem International Community School (HICS) without first getting an amendment to her charter from the Board of Regents as was apparently required for the diplomas the school issued to be legally recognized. When one or more parents complained to State Senator David Patterson about the difficulty their children were having using the school's diplomas, he carried the information to Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. Apparently, neither Spitzer nor Patterson felt that they should simply help this woman obtain the charter and certification she needed. Instead Spitzer sued the woman and according to his press release. asked the court to force Simpson and her school to pay "restitution for the approximately 21 parents who enrolled their children in the school ..." (and) "...post a performance bond of $25,000 before allowing them to apply for an amendment to their charter that would authorize the school to issue high school diplomas." How could a small Black school charging only $3000 dollars per year to 21 students get the money to return the fees and then post a $25,000 dollar bond? Clearly such a harsh punishment had the potential to bankrupt the school. Perhaps the founder should have argued as Spitzer has that the State Constitution only entitles a student to an education up to the eighth grade. Then following that logic she could have further argued that the possession of a charter for education in excess of the legal requirement was a moot point. Spitzer could never empathize or identify with the struggles of a Black woman trying to independently educate other Black people's children with very little money for over 20 years. Eliot's real estate magnate dad Bernard, has been able to send Eliot to Princeton and Harvard. Bernard's wealth has been able to buy Eliot the big Attorney General Boots with which he trods on Blacks.