New Randalls Island Deal With Private Schools Is Rejected

clipped from www.nytimes.com New Randalls Island Deal With Private Schools Is Rejected By CHARLES V. BAGLI The Bloomberg administration’s attempt to revive a deal to allow 20 private schools to pay for exclusive use of public athletic fields on Randalls Island has been rejected by a State Supreme Court justice, who characterized the city’s position as “audacious.” Skip to next paragraph Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times The Dalton School’s soccer practice at Randall’s Island in 2006. A coalition of public school parents and students, community groups and park advocates had sued the city, arguing that allowing the private schools, which include Buckley, Chapin and Dalton, to pay $45 million to use some of the fields would essentially turn public parkland into a private domain. It was the second time in two years that the courts have rejected the city’s arrangement, and both rulings used particularly critical language.