“Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson clapped back Thursday at an education executive who was promoting incorrect information about her schooling history.
Jeanne Allen, CEO of the Center for Education Reform, called Brunson out on Twitter, claiming that she only attended charter schools for her entire education. The incorrect claim additionally implied that exploring charter schools’ relationship to public schooling in Philadelphia, as “Abbott Elementary” does, is not best left to the series’ creator.
“I’ll share it again. The creator, lead writer and co-producer of @AbbottElemABC @quintabrunson is from West Philly and attended charter schools her entire education,” Allen wrote on Twitter. “She reportedly loved it at the time, heaped praise on it. Once upon a time. Guess money talks.”
Brunson, whose sitcom series spotlights various issues in the public school system by featuring teachers working in underfunded and mismanaged environments, has openly taken inspiration from her own experience growing up in the Philadelphia school system. She responded to Allen’s tweet to correct her and clarify the truth of her experience.
“You’re wrong and bad at research. I only attended a charter for high school. My public elementary school was transitioned to charter over a decade after I left,” Brunson wrote. “I did love my high school. That school is now defunct- which happens to charters often.”
“Loving something doesn’t mean it can’t be critiqued,” she added. “Thanks for watching the show :)”
“Abbott Elementary,” now airing the final episodes of Season 2, has been renewed for a third season. The news came on the heels of Brunson and Tyler James Williams winning Golden Globes for the ABC hit.
The show also won big at the 2022 Emmys for its debut season. Brunson won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing on a Comedy Series, becoming the second Black woman to do so. She was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as teacher Janine Teagues.
Additionally, Sheryl Lee Ralph won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy for her role as Barbara Howard.
Brunson will next host “Saturday Night Live” on April 1.
