New Report Exposes StudentsFirst Romney Money that Could Poison NYC Schools and Elections
Community, Parent and Labor Organizations Call for NYC Candidates to Reject StudentsFirstNY Support
New York, NY—On the heels of a new report, outraged parents called on elected officials and candidates for state and local office to reject any financial support, either directly or via independent expenditures, from StudentsFirstNY and their various affiliate entities.
The report, titled StudentsFirst Romney First: How Romney Donors and Republican Insiders Plan to Use Their Political Capital—and Bain Capital—to Control NYC Education, uncovers deep connections between StudentsFirstNY leaders and donors with efforts to defeat President Obama, details the web of interconnected non-profit and political committees that comprise StudentsFirst and closely examines the shared and unsuccessful education agenda of Mitt Romney and StudentsFirst. It documents that StudentsFirstNY board members and donors are contributing over $2 million to efforts to defeat President Obama and several board members have been very outspoken in their attacks on the President. Sixty-eight percent of the candidates StudentsFirst supports nationally have been Republicans, indicating they are out of step with New York City school parents.
"Our eyes are wide open we can see clearly by following the money that StudentsFirstNY and Romney are in bed together. The vow of the Super PAC, StudentsFirstNY, to raise $50 million is an attempt to buy our NYC public schools, like a corporate takeover. Our schools are not for sale. We are demanding that our elected officials denounce StudentsFirstNY's money and stand with us as we chart a new direction for our public schools," said Zakiyah Ansari, parent of eight and Advocacy Director for the Alliance for Quality Education.
“New York City’s future as a thriving, economically prosperous city depends on our having strong, vital public schools,” said Lenore Friedlaender, Vice President of 32BJ SEIU. “But public education in our city is under attack by privatization forces represented by groups like StudentsFirstNY. 32BJ stands with our city’s middle-class and working families against the forces that want to dismantle public education.”
The report was published by New Yorkers for Great Public Schools -- a coalition of community based organizations, parent and labor groups. While StudentFirstNY describes itself as a “union for students,” its board members are ideologically, educationally and economically deeply out of step with the families served by New York City public schools. They promote an education agenda that is identical to Romney’s emphasizing privatization, testing, and vouchers while ignoring class sizes, after school programs, and a college and careers curriculum. Across the country StudentsFirst has failed to fight against school cuts and contributed $100,000 to a campaign promoting cuts to public schools.
“As a parent of a special needs student in the New York City school system, I don’t want to people like Michelle Rhee playing politics with my daughter’s education. The last thing our city needs is a group like StudentsFirstNY, run by hedge fund managers who have no idea what life is like for New York City parents and students, interfering in our schools, " said Juan Pagan, parent leader, New York Communities for Change.
"Parents and students and communities need our schools to succeed. Our students and families are diverse, and our needs are many. StudentsFirstNY is not prioritizing the needs of our students. We shouldn't have to struggle to make our voices heard over all of the money that the people behind StudentsFirstNY are planning to pump into elections," said Elizabeth Lee, Program Manager, Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF).
"I know that my school needs real programs that work for me, my parents, my teachers and their administration, and my community. What we don't need are more high stakes tests and more school closings. But, those corporate styles of reform are what StudentsFirstNY is all about," Lawrence Booker, youth leader, Urban Youth Collaborative.
For a copy of StudentsFirst Romney First: How Romney Donors and Republican Insiders Plan to Use Their Political Capital—and Bain Capital—to Control NYC Education, please visit http://www.nygps.org/report