Benjamin Crump Will Address the Educational Crisis in Rochester on January 18
Civil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump is coming to Rochester on January 18, 2025 to address the educational crisis we are having in our city. It is my understanding that Mr. Crump is also representing the family of Robert Brooks—the Greece, NY native who was killed by corrections officers at Marcy Correctional Facility. While I empathize with Mr. Brooks family and support the rallying cries for justice, I need to emphasize that the two events are unrelated.
This educational crisis is not an abstract issue. It’s a direct contributor to generational poverty, cyclical crime, and systemic inequities that plague our community. And yet, this crisis fails to spark the same outrage, the same rallying cries, or the same urgency as other social injustices.
But the time for complacency is over.
When Attorney Ben Crump speaks, people listen. His name is synonymous with justice, advocacy, and an unwavering commitment to fighting for those who have been marginalized, silenced, and overlooked. He has stood on the front lines of some of America’s most pivotal civil rights battles, bringing light to systemic injustices and calling for accountability at every level.
On January 18th, 2024, Ben Crump will stand with the people of Rochester—not just to highlight injustice, but to confront one of our community’s most pressing and overlooked crises: EDUCATION.
Crump’s presence is more than symbolic; it’s catalytic. His involvement has the power to gather people who might otherwise stay home, to make leaders uncomfortable enough to act, and to turn casual observers into committed advocates. His visit is an opportunity—an opportunity for Rochester to not only listen but to respond with urgency and action.
Rochester’s Educational Crisis is a Community Crisis
It’s easy to become numb to statistics, to see numbers instead of names. But let me remind you—these are our children. They are not just students in a broken system; they are future leaders, thinkers, creators, and problem-solvers.
Every child who cannot read proficiently by third grade is exponentially more likely to drop out of school. Every dropout is far more likely to enter the criminal justice system. This isn’t conjecture—it’s data-driven reality.
We cannot let this crisis continue to simmer under the surface while we respond passionately to other societal ills. The school-to-prison pipeline is real, and it begins in our classrooms.
The Robert Brooks Case: A Reflection of Systemic Injustice
The tragic case of Robert Brooks stands as a glaring symbol of the injustices deeply embedded in our society. Brooks’ life, unjustly taken, exposes a broken system that perpetuates cycles of trauma and loss, especially for Black and Brown communities. And while the pursuit of justice in his case is critical, we cannot allow it to overshadow the slow-motion catastrophe unfolding in our classrooms.
Every day, thousands of children in Rochester sit in schools, underprepared for the future that awaits them. They are silently sentenced to a life of limited opportunities, making them vulnerable to the same systemic failures that claimed Robert Brooks' life.
The Educational Crisis: A Deep, Systemic Issue
Let’s be clear: Rochester is facing an educational crisis of catastrophic proportions. But this isn’t a crisis rooted solely in a lack of funding—it’s a crisis of how the funding is being used. The Rochester City School District (RCSD) is not underfunded. In fact, RCSD receives over $24,000 per student annually and has a 1.1 Billion Dollar Budget, one of the highest per-pupil funding levels in the state. Yet, our outcomes remain among the lowest. This disconnect is not accidental—it’s systemic.
Decisions about how resources are allocated often prioritize administrative overhead and legacy systems rather than classroom outcomes. The money doesn’t flow to where it’s needed most: directly into the hands of teachers, students, and evidence-based programs proven to yield results.
Charter Schools: Not THE ONLY Answer, But AN Answer
Charter schools are not a magic bullet. They are not the only solution to Rochester’s educational woes. But they are one solution—a solution that is already showing measurable success. Despite receiving $10,325 less per pupil than district schools, Rochester’s charter schools have consistently outperformed RCSD in core academic areas.
These schools operate with fewer resources, yet deliver stronger outcomes. Why? Because their funding is tied directly to students and classrooms, not bureaucracy. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: charter schools are not universally embraced in Rochester. The community, politicians, and even some families are hesitant to see them as a viable solution.
Breaking Generational Beliefs
Part of the resistance to change comes from generational patterns. If your mother, your grandmother, and your great-grandmother all worked for the district, the district isn’t just a school system—it’s a cultural institution. For decades, families have been taught that RCSD is the only path. Unions reinforce this narrative, while policies and legal frameworks keep the funding locked in systems that don’t prioritize student success.
But we have to ask ourselves: Is our loyalty to a system, or is it to our children? Because these two priorities are no longer aligned.
The Legalities of Educational Equity
Ben Crump’s presence brings another layer to this conversation: the legal framework around funding and accountability. Educational inequity isn’t just a moral failure—it’s often a legal one. Policies that perpetuate funding disparities, mismanagement of resources, and lack of accountability are not accidental—they’re upheld by laws, contracts, and systemic inertia.
One of the hopes of Crump’s visit is to begin unraveling these legal knots. How do we change the laws? How do we hold leadership accountable? How do we ensure that the funding already in place is used to drive results, not reinforce failure?
A Community Call to Action
This isn’t just about RCSD versus charter schools, or about administrators versus teachers. This is about Rochester as a community choosing to come together and prioritize our children’s futures. It’s about breaking down silos, challenging old assumptions, and demanding better from every corner of the system.
We must:
Demand Transparency: Know where every dollar is going and why.
Support Evidence-Based Solutions: Whether district-run, charter-led, or community-driven, if it works, we must invest in it.
Challenge Misinformation: Dispel the myths about charter schools and focus on the data.
Advocate for Policy Change: Work with lawmakers to close the funding gaps and eliminate legal barriers to equitable education.
The Time is Now
Ben Crump is not coming to Rochester to solve this crisis for us. He’s coming to remind us that the power to change lies in our hands. His voice will amplify the urgency, but it’s up to us to carry the momentum forward.
Rochester cannot afford to let this moment pass. The time for waiting, debating, and pointing fingers is over. The time to act is now.
Join us on January 18th, 2024, at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, 141 Adams St., Rochester, NY, from 1:00-3:00 PM. Together, let’s honor Ben Crump’s presence not just with applause, but with action.
Our children are waiting. Our future is calling. Will we answer?
By Dr. Paul Miller
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