The Boys Choir of Harlem hasn't had a very easy time, especially after it was found that a guidance counselor molested 14 year old student, but now they need to leave their home at Madison Avenue and East 127th Street. The NY Times looks at the embattled organization, and its struggle to exist amid the financial problems and the Department of Education's allegations that it mishandled the program. The choir operates out of the city's public school, the Choir Academy of Harlem; the choir and city had run the school together. But now the DoE is evicting the choir, contending that its founder, Dr. Walter Turnbull, had not kept the DoE notified of various changes or hired appropriate new leaders, per an agreement. Turnbull argues that the DoE's bureaucracy is stacking the case against him, as well as being racist. Uh-oh, the r-word. Of course, the DoE denies that race had anything to do with their decision, and points to the $5 million in debt that choir is in.
While former Mayor David Dinkins may step in to help lead the program and while the city seems to want to keep supporting the choir, the 18,000 square feet of space at the buliding is probably driving a lot of the DoE's decisions. It's sad, there are no tour dates listed on the BCH's website (if you click, you'll hear some beautiful music). And last year, 50 Cent and The Game donated a combined $250,000 to the organization, but only after they had a mini-war.
