Steve David Perry (born 1969) is a controversial American educator, author, anti-union activisthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/11/21/principal-gets-mad-and-tweets-strap-up-there-will-be-head-injuries/ and former TV personality. He became well known when CNN ''Black in America'' featured a story on him and the school he founded, Capital Preparatory School in Hartford, Connecticut. He is also known for appearing on '' Iyanla: Fix My Life''. Described as a "scorched-earth" school reformer and "vitriolic union-basher," Perry has previously hosted talk shows such as ''Breakthrough With Dr. Steve Perry'' and ''Save My Son''. He has also worked as a columnist for ''

Essence Essence () has various meanings and uses for different thinkers and in different contexts. It is used in philosophy and theology as a designation for the property (philosophy), property or set of properties or attributes that make an entity the ...

''.

Biography

Perry was raised in

Middletown, Connecticut Middletown is a city in Middlesex County, Connecticut, United States. Located along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles (25.749504 km) south of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. Middletown is the largest city in the L ...

. His family is of mixed ancestry, Caucasian mother and African-American father. In 1998, he ran unsuccessfully for the state legislature, winning 39% of the vote against incumbent Joseph Serra. That year he also founded ConnCAP at Capital Community College, a Connecticut collegiate awareness program. In 2005, he founded his first school, Capital Prep Magnet School,

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

, a magnet school under the Hartford Board of Education. In 2014, Perry stepped down from Capital Prep Hartford amid tensions with the Board of Education, tweeting "The only way to lose a fight is to stop fighting. All this did was piss me off. It’s so on. Strap up, there will be head injuries.” A state audit later found that Capital Prep Hartford, under Perry's leadership, had systematically violated admissions rules, admitting 116 students over a two year period around the lottery system in violation of state law. In 2015, Perry's first charter school, Capital Prep Harbor School, opened in

Bridgeport, Connecticut Bridgeport is the List of municipalities in Connecticut, most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the List of cities in New England by population, fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Loc ...

. Another school, Capital Prep Harlem School, was opened in 2016 in partnership with Diddy. A year later, Capital Prep Harbor Lower School in Bridgeport, Connecticut opened its doors In 2020, his fourth school campus opened in the

Bronx, New York The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

. It is the third school which was opened in partnership with Diddy. In 2023, Perry cut ties with Diddy amid sexual assault allegations, and in 2024 fourteen whistleblowers told

The Cut (New York) ''The Cut'' is an online publication that, as part of '' New York'' magazine, covers a wide range of topics, such as work, money, sex and relationships, fashion, mental health, pop culture, politics, and parenting, with a specific lens for women. ...

that Perry's East Harlem school was "violent and dysfunctional." In 2011, his book, ''Push Has Come to Shove'', was published. In 2016, he contributed in

Steve Harvey Broderick Stephen Harvey Sr. Also aired August 16, 2015. (born January 17, 1957) is an American comedian, television host, actor, writer, and producer. He hosts ''The Steve Harvey Morning Show'', ''Family Feud'', ''Celebrity Family Feud'', '' ...

's book, ''Jump: Take the Leap of Faith to Achieve Your Life of Abundance''. In 2017, his Capital Preparatory Charter Schools network received $1.35 million from the Charles Koch Foundation. Perry has been outspoken against teacher’s unions since the Koch Foundation contribution. In 2018, his talk show, ''Breakthrough With Dr. Steve Perry'', started to air on Fox Stations and CBS network. Perry was part of

CNN Cable News Network (CNN) is a multinational news organization operating, most notably, a website and a TV channel headquartered in Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable ne ...

's documentary ''Black in America''. He has reported for

Anderson Cooper 360 Anderson may refer to: Companies * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson Racing Karts, a manufacturer of Superkart racing chassis * O.P. Anderson, a brand of aquavit ...

and American Morning through his reportage, ''Perry's Principles''. He is also an education advisor to

Oprah Winfrey Oprah Gail Winfrey (; born Orpah Gail Winfrey; January 29, 1954) is an American television presenter, talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor. She is best known for her talk show, ''The Oprah Winfrey Show' ...

Books

* Perry, Steve (2006). ''Man Up! Nobody is Coming to Save Us'' * Perry, Steve (2011). ''Push Has Come to Shove''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Perry, Steve Living people African-American writers 1969 births 21st-century African-American educators 21st-century American educators