NYC KidsPAC is composed of a group
of parent leaders and advocates, including several Community Education Council
members. A few weeks ago, NYC KidsPAC released an education report card for Mayor de Blasio, with grades ranging from “A” to “F”
based on whether he’s lived up to his campaign promises after more than a year
in office in many key areas such as class size, school overcrowding,
co-locations and parent engagement.
More specifically, de Blasio promised to have a moratorium on co-locations which never happened. In response to
the NYC KidsPAC candidate survey, promised to ask Community Education
Councils to cast advisory votes on all “major school utilization changes in
their communities including proposed co-locations” and that “This vote
will influence and provide insight to the Panel for Education Policy.”
He added that he would
“raise the level of significance of the CEC's. The Panel for Educational
Policy must address the PEP's vote on major school utilization changes in their
PEP meetings. They must state why they disagree with the local CEC and work
with the local CEC for alternative solutions.”
Yet this process has not yet
occurred in the case of any co-location of which we are aware.
We urge any and all CECs that are
facing a proposed change in school utilization, including co-locations up for a vote this month and next (see list below), to
consider passing a resolution, expressing your views on the proposal in detail
– and then send your resolution to the Mayor’s office, the Chancellor and the
members of the PEP, whose emails are here,
with a cover letter, explaining that you expect the PEP to follow through on
the Mayor’s campaign promises.
Please copy KidsPAC and Class Size Matters
in your emails at info@nyckidspac.org
and info@classsizematters.org
if you do.
We have drafted a sample draft
resolution below including some relevant bullet points. Please feel free to alter the language and of
course, you will have to add to it by explaining why your Council is taking
this position on the proposed utilization change.
Leonie Haimson, Executive Director,
Class Size Matters
Shino Tanikawa, President, NYC
KidsPAC
·
Draft language for a resolution on co-locations
Whereas while campaigning to become Mayor, Bill
de Blasio promised that he would be more collaborative and respectful of the
input of parents and community members than the previous administration;
·
Whereas in his responses
to the NYC KidsPAC candidate survey, in July 2013, he promised that
Community Education Councils would be urged to vote on “major school
utilization changes in their communities” and that “This vote will
influence and provide insight to the Panel for Education Policy.”
·
Whereas in the same survey, he pledged that as
Mayor he would “raise the level of significance of the CEC's” and that “The
Panel for Educational Policy must address the PEP's vote on major school
utilization changes in their PEP meetings. They must state why they disagree
with the local CEC and work with the local CEC for alternative solutions.”
·
Whereas the Community Education Council is
[opposed or in favor of] the co-location of x school in the X building, to be
voted on at the PEP meeting on x date for the following reasons….(add your
reasons here)
·
Be it resolved that the CEC in District x is
[opposed or in favor of] the co-location of x school for the reasons stated
above;
·
Be it resolved that we will send this resolution
to the Mayor, the Chancellor and to the members of the Panel for Educational
Policy before their vote on this proposal on x date;
·
Be it resolved that if any PEP member should
vote in contradiction to the CEC’s position , he or should be obligated to
state why, as the Mayor promised would occur when he ran for office;
·
Finally, be it resolved that the PEP should work
with the CEC on alternative solutions, as the Mayor also pledged.
May 20
vote
June 10 vote
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