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January 31, 2011

New York: 25 School Closures Protested Ahead of Vote

By  Tara MacIsaac / The Epoch Times


NEW YORK—The day before the Panel for Educational Policy votes on closing 25 of the city's schools, several protesters were arrested in front of Department of Education headquarters on Monday. Among those arrested were Councilman Jumaane Williams and Councilman Charles Barron.

Protests** have popped up around the city in the days preceding the vote, where chants such as “fix our schools, don’t shut them down!” could be heard.

United Federation of Teachers (UFT) President Michael Mulgrew has decried the current method of closing schools. The schools are given a letter grade based on attendance and graduation rates, as well as parent, student, and teacher surveys. A failing grade means closure. The DOE must provide a statement outlining the impact on the surrounding community when slating the school for closure.

He claims the data is not always accurate, and schools are not given proper support to recover from their difficulties.

“The morale of students is hit hard,” Nigel Hill, a senior at Paul Robeson High School that is slated for closure told the UFT. “Some of the students start to feel they’re not good enough to be in school.”

**Supported by Make the Road New York (MRNY).

For original article, click here.


More on: Public Education 

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Victory for Immigrant Families: Preventing Unjust Deportations in NYC

On March 18, 2013, Mayor Bloomberg signed new legislation to stop federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from using NYC’s criminal justice system to deport thousands of New Yorkers.

Building on legislation we helped to win just over a year ago, Local Laws 21 and 22 prohibit not only the Department of Correction but now also the NYPD from spending millions of city taxpayer dollars to hold individuals on behalf of ICE agents for detention and deportation. Each year, thousands of New York families will stay together who would otherwise have been torn apart by overly aggressive, indiscriminate immigration enforcement.

At a moment when the country is debating immigration reform, with these laws, New York City sends a clear message to Washington that tearing apart thousands of immigrant families is bad policy.

With your support, we look forward to winning national reform that keeps families together. We thank our partners at the Center for Popular Democracy, the Cardozo Immigration Justice Clinic and the bills’ sponsors, NYC Council Speaker Quinn and Council Member Mark-Viverito, for their courageous leadership.


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