NYT Private Schools Story: The Best in Press-Release Journalism
Yesterday we alerted you to the NYT article about pussy-ass suburban parents whose pussy-ass kids couldn't hack it in big, bad rich suburban public schools, and who fled to even more pussy-ass private schools. One example the Times highlighted rang a faint bell—it was about a woman named Stephanie Percy who took her kid out of public school and placed her at Claremont Preparatory School, a private school in NYC. Hmm, where did we hear about that school before? Oh, that's right, in NY Mag's story about struggling private schools.
Coincidence? Eh, probably not, writes our tipster:
I just read your post concerning today's New York Times article about Westchester parents who ship their kids south to fancy Manhattan private schools. Wondering how the Times managed to unearth such "ridic" moms and dads? This press release, sent to me late last week by a PR firm contracted by Claremont Prep, might offer some answers.
The press release, in its flacky glory, after the jump.
Dear [redacted],
Each day, thousands of parents leave their children in the suburbs to work in New York City. Precious morning and evening hours are spent on commuter trains while children grow up under the watch of caregivers.When parents do finally return home their kids are readying for bed.
Stephanie Percy is a working mother from New Windsor, NY who has elected to go against the grain. An executive assistant at Citigroup in Lower Manhattan, Ms. Percy enrolled her daughter in first grade at Claremont Preparatory School on Broad Street. Each day, mother and daughter embark on a 90-minute commute to the city.
"On the ride into town we look at the papers and talk a lot," said Ms. Percy. "We have incredible conversations about the river, skyscrapers, history and simple day-to-day things. It's fun and the exposure to the city prompts a lot of discussion." Once in town, Ms. Percy drops her daughter off at school at 8:30 and proceeds to her office just a few blocks away.
We'll be keeping an eye out for the next time Claremont manages to weasel its way in to one of this city's fine publications. Until then, props to their PR firm!
