Urging Governor Cuomo to support NYC Mayor de Blasio’s pre-k plan & statewide full-day pre-k
(ALBANY, NY) “No more excuses!” could be heard echoing down the halls of the Capitol today as 1,500 students, parents, teachers, and community members flooded the War Room outside of Governor Cuomo’s office to demand an investment of $1.9 billion in new school aid this year. The rally came one day after 83 members of the state legislature publicly called for Governor Cuomo to increase school aid by $1.9 billion.
“Education is an equalizer in this state and country. When it is neglected, inequality is perpetuated,” said Trinh Truong, junior at Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica, NY.
The $1.9 billion increase that advocates are calling for will not only prevent schools from having to make yet another year of cuts to staff, resources and courses but is also the first step in what advocates say will “close the opportunity gap” between wealthy and poor districts in the state. New York is currently ranked 5th in the nation in educational inequity.
“Year after year we have seen students shortchanged on education they so desperately need and that is their constitutional right. From upstate to downstate, this issue crosses all zip codes. New York has two systems of public education, one for the rich and one for the poor and Governor Cuomo has done nothing to address this massive inequality,” said Billy Easton, executive director of the Alliance for Quality Education. “Failure by the Governor and the legislature to invest $1.9 billion would be an enormous mistake in an election year and will leave a generation of students with less opportunities than their peers before them.”
Steps away from the Governor’s office in the War Room, students spoke out about resources cut and opportunities lost.
“As a high school student, I’ve seen first-hand the kind of cuts that affect my school and my education. When a program is cut, it tends to be gone forever. I’m worried for the students who are just starting school. What opportunities will they have if every year more and more cuts are made? It’s time to stop kicking the can down the road and start investing in the future of students like me,” said Ryan Carson, senior at Unatego High School in Unatego, NY.
“Across New York State, there is a movement of students, parents, and communities working together to ensure that we keep students in the classroom and end racial inequality in our schools. The school-to-prison pipeline is a racial justice issue in NYS. Students of color and students with special needs are feeling the greatest impact of zero-tolerance discipline polices. We are asking our state representatives, our governor, to put an end to discriminatory school discipline and fund restorative justice practices in districts across the state. Suspensions do not work. Arrests do not work. Invest in positive school cultures,” said Neissa Fils, 17-year-old student leader with Urban Youth Collaborative.
Throughout the day parents, legislators and other advocates spoke out about the state of their schools:
“Public school districts have never financially recovered from the massive reductions in state aid over the last five years — cuts that have forced the City School District of Albany to eliminate 350 positions during that time,” said Albany Superintendent Marguerite Vanden Wyngaard, Ph.D. “We urge Governor Cuomo and the legislature to direct additional funding for education this year to restore public school districts to the funding level of 2008-09. Without that type of investment in our children and our schools, we will be forced to continue cutting and public education in New York State will be in grave danger.”
“As an immigrant mother, who had a world of expectations for the United States education system, I am alarmed by the level of inequity in the system. We lost an after school program, lost our Saturday tutoring program and it seems like paper, notebooks and pencils are luxuries at the DOE. We want the resources to make are schools great and have our children succeed,” said Jenny Almonte, parent leader from New York City.
“Our schools are experiencing frightening amount of cuts. I fear for my sons. This upcoming school year they will be in Kindergarten and currently due to a lack of funding there is only one teacher’s aid for all four Kindergarten classes, most of which have more than 20 five-year-olds in each. I fear for my sons’ safety and their ability to learn. My children matter just as much as anyone else’s. We cannot continue to hinder our children.” Angelica Rivera, parent leader with Citizen Action of New York and the Alliance for Quality Education.
“Opportunities are being lost. Students can never get back the chance to learn how to play an instrument or discover their love of science if these programs are missing from our schools. Enough is enough! It’s time to make our students’ education a priority. I’m calling on the Governor to include $1.9 billion dollars in school funding because our students can’t wait,” said Ocynthia Williams, parent leader with the United Parents of Highbridge.
“New Yorkers overwhelmingly agree that full-day pre-k should be available to every four-year-old, and the Governor and state legislature should listen to that need! The Governor’s budget should fund statewide pre-k, but that should be no excuse for denying every New York City four-year-old access to pre-k now. Albany must approve NYC’s local tax hike plan,” said Zakiyah Ansari, Advocacy Director of the Alliance for Quality Education.
“Our state needs to continue to invest in our students,” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan. “As Chair of the Assembly Education Committee, I know we must fulfill the promise of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity by providing the resources necessary so every child in this state can receive a sound, basic education.”
“We also need sustainable and effective universal pre-k and after school programs in New York because every child deserves a good education and parents should have support in being able to effectively balance work and family” said Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan.
“Over the years, the unfair manipulation of the school aid formula has shortchanged Mohawk Valley schools. As a result, Utica and other districts have been forced to lay off teachers and increase class sizes, limiting our children’s ability to receive the best education possible,” said Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi. “It is time to amend the school aid formula so it reflects the actual needs of each school district. Let’s give every child the bright and promising future they deserve.”
“Children in China attend school six days per week and up to 10 hours per day. Students in New York State have some of the lowest SAT scores in the nation. Yet, in Europe and in every country considered to be a major economic engine, there is a tremendous focus on providing the resources to build strong human capital that will further the economic goals of their people. Investing in the education of all our children should supersede give-aways to big businesses or tax breaks for billionaires that fall short of improving the standard of living of the residents of our state,” said Assemblyman Marcos A. Crespo, chair of the Assembly Task Force on New Americans.
About AQE The Alliance for Quality Education is a coalition mobilizing communities across the state to keep New York true to its promise of ensuring a high quality public education to all students regardless of zip code, income or race. Combining its legislative and policy expertise with grassroots organizing, AQE advances proven-to-work strategies that lead to student success and echo a powerful public demand for a high quality education. www.aqeny.org
