Quinta Brunson Defends 'Abbott Elementary'

Abbott Elementary showrunner and star Quinta Brunson clapped back at a tweet last Wednesday that tried to critique the ABC comedy series as well as discredit its creator.

The Golden Globe award-winning show depicts the realities of a predominantly Black public school in Philadelphia. In recent episodes from its second season, one storyline explores the stark contrasts between Abbott Elementary and a local charter school.

Jeanne Allen, founder and CEO of The Center for Education Reform, seemingly had a problem with this storyline and took to Twitter to criticize Brunson’s educational background, tweeting: “The creator, lead writer and co-producer of @AbbottElemABC @quintabrunson is from West Philly and attended charter schools her entire education. She reportedly loved it at the time, heaped praised on it. Once upon a time. Guess money talks.”

Brunson responded less than two hours later, calling Allen “wrong and bad at research.” The 33-year-old, who is the youngest Black woman to be nominated for comedy acting, went on to clarify in a tweet that amassed over 2.2 million views: “My public elementary school was transitioned to charter over a decade after I left. I did love my high school. That school is now defunct — which happens to charters often.”

The Emmy award-winning writer concluded in a follow-up tweet: “Loving something doesn’t mean it can’t be critiqued. Thanks for watching the show :)."

Support quickly poured in for Brunson, with the former head of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Senior Fellow at the Ford Foundation Sherrilyn Ifill tweeting: “Pls ignore that woman trying to come for @quintabrunson. Public school has been a punchline of sitcoms for decades. But when one show lifts up what can be wonderful & important about public schools & what is often problematic abt charter schools there’s pearl-clutching. Take a seat.”

Guess it’s safe to say that Allen got (public) schooled.

Photo via Getty/ John Shearer