One of the three new citywide gifted and talented programs, slated to open this September at PS 20 in Brooklyn, has been canceled, according to Department of Education spokesperson Andy Jacob. PS 20's former principal, Sean Keaton, was arrestedin May for allegedly attacking a teacher. It's not known whether or how Keaton's actions, and their consequences in the wider community, affected the school's prospects.

The net result is that the program will not open, and it will not be moved to a different school for September, although the DOE will "continue to look" for opportunities to open citywide G&T programs in the future, according to Jacob. Just not at PS 20.

Update: Yesterday, Andy Jacob of the DOE told us (and the New York Times'"The Local" blog) that the PS 20 citywide program would not open due to lack of sufficient interest.  Our instinct, that Keaton's arrest put the kibosh on the school, wasn't far off the mark: As  was  noted on The Local, and as explained by Jacob  earlier today, Principal Keaton's  difficulties were a factor in the decision to cancel the program.

Jacob said that the DOE heard from parents who had listed PS 20 on their applications, but changed their minds after the Keaton imbroglio. Parent uncertainty was "part of the reason" DOE elected not to open the program, Jacob  said. The  DOE might have been able to fill the classes (based on the applications they'd received, choosing PS 20), but "we were getting indications that many parents would not accept their assignments." The anticipated pushback from parents, combined with uncertainty about the school's leadership, influenced the  DOE's decision to close the program before it opened.

Demand for the Brooklyn School of Inquiry, however, is so strong that the DOE has added a third kindergarten class.  Instead of opening with two kindergarten and two 1st-grade classes, the school will open in September with three kindergartens and one 1st grade.