More than 100 teachers, parents and guidance counselors gathered at the UFT Bronx borough office on Feb. 6 for a community forum with seven elected officials to send a message to Gov. Andrew Cuomo: All public schools — not just charter schools — deserve fair funding and respect.

The Bronx is one of the poorest congressional districts in the United States, and teachers were often emotional as they described the lack of resources and support to help their students succeed.

“Our middle school kids used to be banging on the door to get in the building at 7 a.m. because they’d be running track and playing rugby,” said William Woodruff, a teacher at PS/MS 31. “Those extracurricular activities are gone. It’s not right.”

Kim Ray, the chapter leader at PS 65 in the South Bronx, spoke of the daily indignities that the co-location of a charter school in her building had inflicted on her students. She noted the better food, new elevator and air conditioning that was installed only once the charter took up residence at PS 65.

“I thought the Supreme Court took care of separate and unequal,” she said. “The charter school children are told not to talk to us. Where did we get the message that some kids matter and some kids don’t?”

Cuomo has said he would release new state aid for schools only if state lawmakers also pass his education agenda, which includes making student state test scores account for 50 percent of a teacher’s rating, and bringing in outside experts to observe the teachers. UFT President Michael Mulgrew has called the governor’s proposal “an extortionary scheme.” The state budget deadline is April 1.

The Assembly members who attended were Carmen Arroyo (District 84), Michael Blake (District 79) Jose Rivera (District 78), Victor Pichardo (District 86), Latoya Joyner (District 77), and Jeffrey Dinowitz (District 81). State Sen. Gustavo Rivera of the 33^rd District also attended.

“Every politician here is really supportive,” said UFT Vice President for Middle Schools Richard Mantell. “They realize an attack on us is an attack on the children and schools of New York City. They all said they’d stand with us.”

The elected officials took questions about the budget process, but also had their own message to UFT members: Come up to Albany and make your voices heard.  

“You are under a continual attack for doing nothing wrong,” Assemblyman Blake said. “No other industry endures this. You’re educating children and empowering them, and people who haven’t set foot in your school are telling you what’s wrong.”

He told educators, “You need to know we appreciate you and we will stand with you, but we need you to come up on lobby days and tell us what we have to do. Folks are ready to fight with you.”

The forum was the first of many being held around the city in February. See a schedule of upcoming forums.