NYC Kids PAC endorsements

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For immediate release

Sept. 4, 2014

For more information contact: Shino Tanikawa, info@nyckidspac.org , 917-770-8438

NYC KidsPAC endorses Teachout for Governor, Jackson, Liu, Koppell for State Senate;

Fedkowskyj and Simon for Assembly

Today, NYC KidsPAC, a political action committee composed of parent leaders devoted to strengthening our public schools, announced its endorsements in the Democratic primary due to take place next Tuesday, Sept. 9.  KidsPAC endorsed Zephyr Teachout and Tim Wu for Governor and Lieutenant Governor, over the incumbent Andrew Cuomo and his running mate, Kathy Hochul.

KidsPAC’s other endorsements in contested races include: Robert Jackson for State Senate District 31 in Manhattan, John Liu for the 11^th Senate District seat in Queens, Dmytro Fedkowskyj for Assembly Seat District 30 in Queens, Oliver Koppell for Senate District 34 Seat in the Bronx, and Jo Anne Simon, campaigning to replace retiring Joan Millman in the 52nd Assembly District in Brooklyn.

Said Shino Tanikawa, parent leader and President of KidsPAC, “NYC KidsPAC wholeheartedly endorses Zephyr Teachout for Governor for her commitment to fight against privatization of our public education.  We need a governor who believes in small class sizes, provides adequate resources for our most vulnerable students, respects the profession of teaching, opposes education driven by standardized tests and will fight for a high quality schools for all students throughout the State.  We believe Zephyr is the right candidate who will move us in the right direction.”  

Shino added: “Governor Cuomo, on the other hand, has massively cut education aid to our schools, opposes fully funding CFE – despite a court order – and owes NYC more than $2000 per student.  He also supports raising the cap on charters, and has pushed through preferential access for charters to expand in space paid for by the city, while hundreds of thousands of our public school students sit in overcrowded schools, in trailers or on waiting lists for their zoned neighborhood school.”

“Though Robert Jackson and the incumbent Adriano Espaillat both completed surveys emphasizing their support for public schools, Jackson has a long history of leadership on education issues.  He was the original plaintiff in the CFE case, walked to Albany for the final deliberations in court, and was a terrific advocate as Chair of the Education Committee on the NYC Council.  Wherever and whenever we have needed him, Robert Jackson has stood for us and with us, fighting for the rights of our kids.  Now parents must be there for him,” said Karen Sprowal, a board member of NYC KidsPAC and a long time Harlem resident.

 “John Liu and Tony Avella have strong education records, but Liu was an exemplary City Councilmember and Comptroller – always pushing to keep the Department of Education honest in its reporting.  Moreover, we cannot forget how Avella deserted the Democratic Party to join forces with the GOP, which has consistently opposed full funding for NYC schools and supports privatization, vouchers and charter expansion,” said Isaac Carmignani, long-time parent leader in Queens.

“KidsPAC is endorsing Oliver Koppell for State Senate against Jeff Klein, as Klein led the defection from the Democratic majority to prop up the GOP, which has hurt our schools badly.  Klein also supported the egregious provisions in this year’s budget, providing preferential treatment and public space at city expense for charter schools – despite the fact that the public schools in his district are hugely overcrowded and badly need expansion,” said Gloria Corsino, a Bronx parent leader.

Isaac Carmignani explained, “We enthusiastically support Dmytro Fedkowskyj, running against the incumbent Margaret Markey in Queens.  Dmytro was a strong advocate for NYC parents and kids when he was the Queens member on the Panel for Educational Policy.  As his candidate survey shows, he will continue to be a strong advocate as Assemblymember.  He opposes test-driven education, is strongly against raising the cap on charters and supports full funding for our public schools.”

Finally, NYC KidsPAC is endorsing Jo Anne Simon vs.  Pete Sikora in the Assembly.  Tesa Wilson, a Brooklyn parent and KidsPAC board member said, “Though both Simon and Sikora responded with positive answers to our candidate survey, Simon has been a long-time advocate for the rights of special needs students, and for full funding and smaller classes in our public schools.  In our survey, she came out strongly against raising the cap on charters.  While Sikora said he was supportive of keeping the cap this year, he was in favor of re-evaluating the cap in future years.”

The links to our endorsements, completed candidate surveys and the NYSAPE Governor’s scorecard can be found on our website at www.nyckidspac.org .

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