No Skimping on Education Spending

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Dear John,
* Participatory Budgeting Vote Week is 4/6 - 4/14! We are excited to host a PB Expo or “science fair” to showcase this year’s PB projects on 4/6 from 2-4 PM at Powerhouse Arts in Gowanus. Join us to meet your neighbors, learn about the projects, and vote. There will be a kids ballot for those under the age of 11, so bring the whole family! RSVP and see our other volunteer opportunities during Vote Week here ([link removed]) !
* We are still unable to offer in-person appointments with extremely limited exceptions. If you need help, call us at (718) 499-1090 or send us an email at [email protected].

Remembering Samyia Spain

19-year-old Samyia Spain, one of our own, was killed after she rejected the advances of a young man. Her twin sister, Sanyia was also attacked, but is now home in stable condition and recovering. The two sisters had simply ventured to their local bodega for late-night snacks, a routine they often enjoyed from their home, the Wyckoff Gardens public housing campus. Our office is mourning Samiya’s death and sends our deepest condolences to her loved ones. Earlier this week, I joined Wyckoff Gardens’ Tenant Association President Ms. Valerie Bell and community leaders to grieve as a community.

Every woman, everyone, deserves to be safe in our city, in every corner. Saying no is a fundamental right, and walking away should never be met with retaliation. Samiya’s death, an act of femicide, has shaken our community and underscores the urgent need to root out gender-based violence.

I remain in contact with the 78th Precinct as they investigate and am aware that the suspect is in custody.

If you or a loved one is in need of free mental health services, I encourage you to contact 988 ([link removed]) .

Council Member Shahana with Wyckoff Gardens Tenant Association President Ms. Bell and community leaders

Education Cuts in District 39

With federal stimulus dollars sunsetting this summer, NYC public schools will lose hundreds of millions of dollars. What does that mean for schools in District 39? According to Advocates for Children, we will lose:

* More than a dozen 3-K classes, including one serving both preschoolers with and without disabilities.
* 12 social workers at schools serving over 6,000 students, a quarter of whom have disabilities.
* Restorative justice programming at six schools with nearly 3,000 students, 21% of whom have disabilities.
* Three shelter-based coordinators helping students living in shelters get to school.
* Two community schools providing vital wrap-around services for over 1,000 students, including English Language Learners and those in temporary housing.
* Funding for a preschool special education program to recruit staff and keep classes running smoothly.

Now, let's talk about the bigger picture. Over the past few years, the NYC Department of Education received a whopping $7 billion in federal COVID-19 relief funding. While yes, some of it went to immediate needs like reopening schools after remote learning, around $1 billion per year was allocated to address long-standing needs that existed even before the pandemic hit.

Everything from 3-K programs, preschool special education, school social workers, psychologists, community schools, nurses, restorative justice initiatives, and more have come to rely on this additional money. While the additional funding for these programs may have been intended to be temporary, the programs it has supported and the issues it has helped remedy are not of temporary importance. They're crucial services that our students and families relied on before COVID-19, and they'll continue to need them after the funds run dry.

On top of the expiring COVID dollars, the administration has proposed a $700 million budget cut to the Department of Education’s (DOE) FY25 budget. These cuts are unconscionable, particularly as the impacts of the pandemic are still being felt at the school-level and pre-pandemic needs still remain unaddressed.

This week, the Education Committee had its Preliminary Budget Hearing to question the DOE and School Construction Authority (SCA) about their plans to address gaps in funding and their plans to support our public schools, and the Executive Budget Hearing, is coming up in May. As Co-Chair of the Progressive Caucus and a member of the Education Committee, I will be fighting to restore the cuts and secure more funding for our schools. NYC students deserve the best.

PS 39 Budget Busters: Students in Action!

The Education Budget is on the minds of students too! Over at PS 39, students have taken the initiative to start an online video series called Budget Busters ([link removed]) . A collaborative undertaking by parents, faculty, and students, this series is a call to action for the school community to advocate for fully funded public schools. Each video highlights a different education related budget issue.

In Episode 1 ([link removed]) , they address the Fair Student Funding formula and in Episode 2 ([link removed]) , they took a look at Class Size. Have a watch. I’ll be joining them in an episode soon!

Our Community Rejects Cuts to Public Education

“It's mind-blowing that this Mayor is proposing yet another round of cuts to our schools. On the chopping block this time is a very important, and relatively tiny, contract with Affinity that provides unique professional development to schools, including Brooklyn Collaborative, that are part of the NY Performance Standards Consortium. Coupled with previous budget cuts, it is untenable to expect our school to pay, from our budget, for the support we receive under this contract. Given the success of the Consortium model over the last 26 years--higher graduation rates and college acceptance and retention rates than other NYC schools--you'd think we'd be putting more resources into them, not less.” Reyhan Mehran, PTA Co-President, Brooklyn Collaborative Studies

“At my school social workers have been vital in creating a space to talk about fear or issues driving conflict. They have helped our school community through scary moments and have served as a safe place students always know that they can go.” Lucy, NYC Public School Student, Resident of District 39

“For the past seven years as a restorative justice coordinator and music teacher, I have seen first hand the power of restorative justice programs in schools settings, not only as scaffold and tools for conflict resolution, but most importantly, as a paradigm shift away from carceral and punitive practices and toward building healthy and lasting relationships between students and school staff. RJ in schools invites all community members to engage in conversation around conflict, work together to find solutions and make plans to move forward in peace, while taking accountability, learning from our shortcomings and strengthening/ healing personally as well as interpersonally. The schoolhouse must be a place for healing, restoration and transformation. Funding restorative justice programs in our schools, affords us opportunities to provide our students and their families an educational experience that is truly equitable, caring and connecting.” Martín Urbach, District 39 Teacher

Community Bulletin
* Forth on Fourth Avenue (FOFA), the local community group that has been advocating for a safer, cleaner, greener, and more vibrant 4th Ave, wants to know what you think of them – survey here ([link removed]) .
* Gowanus Oversight Task Force is having a public meeting Thursday 3/28 – come hear directly from City and State agencies for an update on the Gowanus Green, the future

public school, and other site remediation plans – RSVP here ([link removed]) .
* Prospect Park Alliance is hosting an Interfaith Celebration of Ramadan, Passover, and Easter on Thursday, 3/28 from 6 - 8:30 PM at the Prospect Park Boathouse ([link removed]) .
* The League of Women Voters of the City of New York is hosting a movie night Wednesday 3/27 at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Brooklyn to promote civic engagement in this year’s upcoming election - get your tickets here ([link removed]) .
* Do you love biking and want to start a bike club? Ride Leader Academy applications ([link removed]) are now open through 4/7 and will provide you with the training and skills to become a local ride leader in your community. Learn safety protocols, how to pick routes, how to manage a group of cyclists, and more.
* South Brooklyn Sanctuary is offering free legal help for TPS applications and Work Authorization permits. Sign up for their resources in Arabic ([link removed]) , French ([link removed]) , and Spanish ([link removed]) .
* Join a hands-on Zine 101 workshop for Adults & Teens at Interference Archive ([link removed](EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_10_2022_17_4_COPY_01)&mc_cid=93de30db31&mc_eid=6253d95b87) on 3/26.
* Don’t wait until 4/15 to file your taxes! NYC Free Tax Prep offers a variety of free tax prep options, including in-person, virtual, and drop-off options. For more information, contact 311 or visit nyc.gov/TaxPrep.

In Solidarity,

Shahana
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