For Immediate Release
Sep 5, 2008 5:15 PM
UFT President Randi Weingarten joined Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Comptroller William Thompson and others in a press conference to address the crisis of overcrowded schools in Manhattan. A host of education advocates including US Representatives Jerrold Nadler and Carolyn Maloney issued statements of support. And teachers and parents joined together to demand a new capital plan to provide new seats to accommodate the children in our public schools. Read more about the overcrowding issue and the corresponding reports at the Manhattan Borough Office Web site.
The borough president's report shows the human toll of school overcrowding, but the upcoming five-year capital plan presents a huge opportunity for a public/private partnership to solve it, assuming that mayoral control of the school system is used to the extent that it could be. City Hall oversees the various city agencies involved in school construction and has access to public and private entities across a wide spectrum. The administration could ensure that the city's capital plan is aligned with class size averages mandated by state Contract for Excellence limits.
This is a quality of life issue because families considering whether to move to or remain in New York City often think about things like class size, whether schools offer art and music classes and how they compare to schools in other neighborhoods. We strongly urge the administration to seize this opportunity to make certain that we have enough school seats to accommodate future growth.