Greetings Brothers and Sisters,
Let me first wish each of you a healthy and prosperous new year. I also
want to thank everyone who worked in the UFT phone bank and voted last month
in the Democratic presidential primary election for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Many of you will recall Parafest 2000 when we celebrated our chapter’s
30th anniversary with Hillary. She praised the work of New York City paraprofessionals
at that event and established her position favoring more spending on public
schools to support higher standards. Please see the story in this issue
for what’s ahead for Parafest 2008, which will be held Saturday, March15,
at the New York Hilton.
Already, this year is shaping up to be one of the busiest we’ve had
in a long while.
I’m quite sure you are aware of the immediate 1.75 percent budget
cut the city Department of Education has imposed on all public schools,
as of Jan. 30. The budget cut amounts to a reduction of $100 million in
spending on schools. The UFT has joined the principals’ union — the
Council of School Supervisors and Administrators (CSA) — and other
allies to fight these midyear cuts.
We believe they will be extremely disruptive to school schedules, programs
and staffing in place for the year. Children will be affected and they need
someone to stand up and protect their interests. We know all too well how
tough it will be to provide a quality education to kids if we’re constantly
being called on to do more with less.
Even worse, we expect both the city and state to reduce spending on public
education next year. But we will insist that promises made must be kept.
That is, promises that our government officials have made to provide new
funding to ensure quality education for public school children should be
kept, even in times of economic uncertainty.
That’s why we are calling on the DOE to open its books and find other
ways to reduce costs, including a review of its own highly-paid consultants
and other central staff. We demand that they make a greater effort to find
and push more dollars directly back into the classroom.
The UFT has joined with parents, principals, public officials, community
leaders and other public school advocates to fight the education cuts. This
coalition will hold a huge rally on March 19. SAVE THE DATE and plan to
come to the rally (details to be announced) — and bring your friends
and colleagues!
In Solidarity,
Shelvy Young Abrams