Parents, students, community members join Alliance for Quality Education in Rally to Demand Adequate School Funding and Oppose Cuomo’s & Senate Majority Attacks on Public School

(Long Island, NY) Two thousand parents, teachers, students and community members marched the streets of Albany today to demand that the Governor and the Legislature fund New York public schools fairly and equitably and to oppose proposals by Governor Cuomo and the Senate Majority attacking public schools.

The Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) led the Parade for Public Education from the Albany Armory to the New York State Capitol that called for Gov. Cuomo and the Senate Majority to abandon their destructive education reforms and support fully funding for chronically underfunded schools, as prescribed by New York State’s Court of Appeals in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (CFE).

The day’s events began in the Albany Armory where parents, students and community members rallied and heard from speakers who support fair funding of education and oppose the Governor’s proposed changes in education policy. The Parade, which included two marching bands, cheerleaders and school sports teams, marched from the top of State Street on Lark to the Capitol. Former City Councilman and original CFE plaintiff Robert Jackson was the parade’s honorary Drum Major for Justice

Once at the Capitol, protesters filled the staircase that is in front of the Governor’s office and did a banner drop of three 50-foot long banners listing all 4500 schools in the state and how much CFE funding each is owed.  This figure totals $5.9 billion and protestors demanded that the money be distributed as CFE funding through Foundation Formula because seventy-eight percent of foundation aid goes to high need schools. The Assembly budget adds $1.8 billion in school aid and prioritizes high need schools by using Foundation Aid. The event also called for expansion of statewide full-day Pre-K and enactment of the DREAM Act as contained in the Assembly budget. The Senate Majority plan also adds $1.8 billion but does not support a fair and equitable distribution of funding and includes the same attacks on public schools as proposed by Governor Cuomo.

The Parade for Public Education and the Capitol protest denounced the proposals by the Governor and the Senate Majority for:

• Doubling down on standardized test by making the account for 50% of teacher evaluations which will mean more teaching to the test;
• State takeover of schools with low student test scores;
• Expansion of privately-run charter schools which lack accountability and divert funds form public schools; and
• Creation of a tax credit program targeted at wealthy donors to private schools which will direct taxpayer dollars to private schools instead of public schools.

“Instead of attacking our public schools and teachers, Governor Cuomo should fulfill his constitutional obligation to provide the funding necessary for a ‘sound basic education.’  We need high quality pre-K, smaller class sizes and a rich and diverse curriculum. If the Governor is not prepared to fund our schools, then the legislature must seize the mantle of leadership,” said Robert Jackson, former New York City Council Education Chair and original CFE plaintiff.

“Now is the time for Gov. Cuomo and the Senate Majority to stop playing politics with our students’ futures,” saidBilly Easton, Executive Director of the Alliance for Quality Education. “The courts have ruled that the state has been delinquent in funding our schools for years. Now is the time to restore funding to all of our schools, the high-need districts in particular that have been on a starvation diet for too long. Our students can’t wait. The Governor and the Senate Majority have joined in an unholy alliance with hedge fund billionaires to launch a wholly destructive attack on public schools including doubling down on standardized tests and state takeover of struggling schools.”

“Every year without adequate funding for schools represents countless educational opportunities for students that are lost forever,” said Karen Scharff, Executive Director of Citizen Action of New York. “Governor Cuomo’s and the Senate Majority’s aggressive support of a radical agenda to privatize our public education system is leaving behind a generation of students who hold our state’s future in their hands. Our kids can’t wait, New York can’t wait, for our leaders in Albany to finally fulfill their obligations to give all New York students a chance at success.”

“Governor Cuomo needs to realign his priorities and make New York billionaires and Hedge Fund managers pay their fair share of taxes,” saidJonathan Westin, Executive Director of New York Communities for Change.“Fair-share taxes and fees targeting hedge funds, billionaires and big corporations can raise between $3.1 and $4.2 billion dollars per year — more than enough to pay for complete compliance with the Campaign for Fiscal Equity (“CFE”) and ensuring fair funding for all public schools. The Governor has a clear choice, he can stand with New York children and provide them with the quality education they deserve, or he can give his friends more tax breaks.”

“My children’s school, PS 19 in Queens, is owed over $5 million under CFE. Imagine all we could do if we had the necessary resources,” said Bertha Asistimbay, a parent and member of Make the Road NY. “That’s why I joined parents and students from Make the Road NY to come to Albany and lift our voices. Our schools need the resources to be able to provide the education we deserve.”

“Our children are our most precious resources,” said Ana Casserly, a Rochester parent. “But over the years, Gov. Cuomo has stolen needed services from our children, especially from English language learners and those with special needs. It’s not fair and it’s not right. Gov. Cuomo needs to educate all of our children, not just those who live in wealthy school districts.”

The legislators who joined us for today’s parade were:

• Assembly member Thomas Abinanti
• Assembly member Anthony Brindisi
• Assembly member Harry Bronson
• Assembly member Kevin Cahill
• Assembly member William Colton
• Assembly member Michael DenDekker
• Assembly member Erik Dilan
• Assembly member Patricia Fahy
• Assembly member Sandy Galef
• Assembly member Aileen Gunther
• Assembly member Brian Kavanagh
• Assembly member Shelley Mayer
• Assembly member Catherine Nolan
• Assembly member Nick Perry
• Assembly member Linda Rosenthal
• Assembly member Nily Rozic
• Assembly member Addie Russell
• Assembly member Angelo Santabarbara
• Assembly member Rebecca Seawright
• Assembly member Luis Sepulveda
• Assembly member Fred Thiele
• Assembly member Matthew Titone
• Assembly member David Weprin
• Assembly member Carrie Woerner
• Senator Leroy Comrie
• Senator Martin Dilan
• Senator Jesse Hamilton
• Senator Ruth Hassell-Thompson
• Senator Brad Hoylman
• Senator Elizabeth Krueger
• Senator Kevin Parker
• Senator William Perkins
• Senator Jose Serrano

The day’s events were part of We Rise, a national movement in which families are standing up to reclaim their stake in government in state’s across the country.