School Cuts Hurt!
Parents, Students, Teachers, Elected Officials and Community Members Gather on Steps of DOE Headquarters to Protest Schools Cuts, Present Personal Stories Detailing How They’ve Been Hurt by Slashed Budgets
Three weeks into the 2011- 2012 school year, local parents, students, teachers and community members presented personal stories detailing how the recent $1.3 billion cut to public education have impacted their schools. Parents spoke of what it feels like to lose 2600 teachers, 777 school employees, as well as art, music, tutoring services, afterschool, guidance counselors, and more. The first-hand testimonials were given to send a message to the Governor and legislature that “School Cuts Hurt.” City Councilmembers Robert Jackson (Chair of the Education Committee), Brad Lander (Chair of the Progressive Caucus) and Ydanis Rodriguez (Chair of the Higher Education Committee) also spoke at the event about how the cuts were hurting their communities, and all advocated for the extension of the millionaire’s tax.
The group of parents and advocates called on their elected officials to take action to restore cuts to classroom instruction and programs, and protested layoffs of key City schools personnel in their testimonials:
“Just weeks into the school year, the stories of pain due to massive state education budget cuts are being
