Issue Position: Education
Issue Position
Public schools made me the person I am today. I wouldn't be a nurse if it weren't for the amazing public school teachers that pushed and inspired me throughout my life. As the proud graduate of schools like SUNY Geneseo and CUNY City Tech, I know that our public schools are an exceptional resource. While billionaires attack our public school system--especially in black and brown communities like my own-- offering charter schools as an unaccountable alternative, I believe we must invest in our public schools. In the Assembly, I will always defend public schools because I believe our students and teachers deserve the best.
I will fight to:
Fully-fund our public schools. Foundation Aid is the the formula used by our state to determine how much funding our schools recieve. The state has failed to fully fund its schools since the creation of the Foundation Aid formula in 2007-2008. NYC public schools are owed over $1 billion. I would fight to ensure that Foundation Aid money is paid to our schools in full.
Invest in our most underserved schools. Ensure that high need schools receive funds--in addition to Foundation Aid--to make up for a history of neglect. This funding is crucial to ensure black and brown students recieve the excellent education they deserve.
End the school to prison pipeline. Instead of punitive discipline policies and police in schools, we should hire more counselors and social workers.
A moratorium on new charter schools that take money from the public school system.
Pay all educators a living wage and ensure quality working and learning conditions.
Fully fund CUNY and SUNY. Higher education must be available to all and pay all faculty and staff a living wage.
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