5 E 17th St #4
New York, NY 10003

I have two kids at East Side, one is white, the other, Latinx. Both my kids love, love, love the school, its culture of zero tolerance for bullying and the teachers' dedication. It's obvious that teachers at this school love their job and are strict about academics and empathetic towards their students. My children feel safe and happy at this school every day. I see that there are two reviewers on this platform who complain about the school's "woke" politics and how it supposedly "makes children feel dirty and horrible for simply being born white". Obviously, these reviews are false and they don't belong to the East Side School's community because they don't reflect the reality at E.S. Everything the school does for the students and their families is to promote reflection and dialogue about key issues in our society (institutionalized racism is only one of those topics and the one that made the headlines because many white people are used to not being questioned for their actions). I am white and I never felt discriminated against for being asked to reflect about the privilege my skin color automatically gives me. If you're white and you feel threatened when asked to think about the innate privilege your skin color gives you, you're part of the problem, not the solution and the reason why we need more schools like E.S. My children are growing into mature, well-educated intellectuals who are aware of the world they live in and are ready to thrive in it and fight for their beliefs.

Both of our kids have been in PS 19 EVCS since Pre -K, they are now 1st graders and the school is a true gem. The principal is an incredible leader. The entire administration is always willing to listen to the students, parents. There is a wonderful sense of community at our school. The teachers are so engaged and care about the education and social emotional development of each child in their classroom. The school therapists are truly wonderful and dedicated.