Rallies For School Budget

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. spoke at a Keep the Promises Coalition Rally at Stuyvesant H.S. in Manhattan on Monday, June 2 to challenge a city Department of Education proposed $450 million cut in the New York City school budget.

Throughout the city and the borough, students, parents, teachers, administrators and public officials have joined in protesting the refusal of the administration of Mayor Michael Bloomberg to restore $450 million to the New York City Department of Education budget.

A "Keep the Promises Coalition" rally was held on the steps of Stuyvesant H.S. on June 2. Stuyvesant students, many of whom are from Queens, and the teachers and administrators at New York City's most academically prestigious high school were joined by city Comptroller William Thompson and actresses Cynthia Nixon ("Sex and the City") and Sonia Manzano ("Sesame Street") in calling for restoration of the $450 million to the school budget. Schools Chancellor Joel Klein has asserted that the budget cuts, coupled with rules governing the allocation of state education dollars, will result in money being disproportionately meted out to struggling schools while paring the budgets of academically elite schools like Stuyvesant, Townsend Harris H.S. in Queens, Bronx H.S. of Science and Brooklyn Tech. Cuts have already compelled Stuyvesant students to register for seven classes and a lunch period, instead of nine. This will force many students to relinquish academic elective courses or enroll in those courses at other schools and colleges at their own expense.

Schools at all levels are affected. The elementary school attended by the son of one of the actresses who spoke at the rally will need to eliminate teaching assistants, tutoring and after-school programs after losing nearly $260,000. The middle school the actress' daughter attends could lose the salaries of aides whose presence allows children to go outside during lunch and see the elimination of a much remarked on theater program.

On May 23, some 100 people rallied in front of P.S. 144 in Forest Hills to show their disappointment in the mayor and the budget cuts for the 2008-2009 academic year. Parents, teachers and administrators announced their intention to call 311 on May 29 to express their anger at the budget cuts and students and faculty declared they would wear red every Wednesday until the end of the school year, signifying the "bleeding away" of school funding.

"Last year the city of New York promised our students additional funding," a statement issued by the school said. "However the mayor put forth a school budget for the 2008-2009 school year that is $450 million less than what was promised. Schools in District 28, teachers, administrators, parents and students are coming together tell the mayor and City Council to uphold their commitment to kids."

The Keep the Promises Coalition plans other rallies and protest actions. For more information, call 718-222-1089, ext. 237 or ext. 276.