It was one of those moments where you realize how important local politics really are and how little you understand the rules of bureaucracy.
Despite the mayor and the schools chancellor claiming to have moved past the policies of Bloomberg, we know it's all semantics. They can give it a new name, but they are following in Bloomberg's footsteps. Maybe they're closing fewer schools and opening fewer charters, but they are clearly on the same path: blaming public schools for failing, but never going far enough to provide them with the resources needed to succeed.
I listened to voices of parents, teachers, and students try to save their school communities. One student brought the auditorium to tears as he begged the panel not to split up his school community between two buildings just to make room for another charter school.
It was simultaneously disheartening and inspiring.
As I looked around the room, I was left wondering two questions:
Why aren't more people here?
and
Where is the UFT? Where were our union leaders speaking out against this? Where are all our colleagues? These decisions affect students and affect our union members, yet no one from the UFT Leadership was there to save these schools.
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This experience made me want to share the proposals for the upcoming PEP on March 22nd. If you're in NYC, I hope you'll be there to witness the madness and maybe even speak up.
The following items will be posted for the public review period. Oral and written comments will be accepted from February 1, 2017 through March 21, 2017 at 6:00pm. The Panel will vote on the items at the March 22, 2017 Panel meeting which will take place at 6:00pm at the High School for Fashion Industries (225 W 24th St, Manhattan, NY 10011).
BRONX
Building
|
Public Notice and Educational Impact Statement
|
Contact
| Hearing Date, Time and Location |
The Proposed Consolidation of Pablo Neruda Academy (08X305) with Bronx Guild (08X452) in Building X450 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 6, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Building X450 1980 Lafayette Avenue Bronx, NY 10473 | ||
The Proposed Closure of J.H.S. 145 Arturo Toscanini (09X145) in Building X145 at the End of the 2016-2017 School Year | March 6, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Building X145 1000 Teller Avenue Bronx, NY 10456 | ||
The Proposed Closure of Leadership Institute (09X276) in Building X004 at the End of the 2016-2017 School Year | March 16, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Building X004 1701 Fulton Avenue Bronx, NY 10457 | ||
The Proposed Consolidation of the Young Scholars Academy of the Bronx (11X289) with the North Bronx School of Empowerment (11X287) in Building X113 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 8, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Building X113 3710 Barnes Avenue Bronx, NY 10467 | ||
The Proposed Closure of Monroe Academy for Visual Arts & Design (12X692) in Building X420 at the End of the 2016-2017 School Year | March 15, 2017 at 6:00 PM at Building X420 1300 Boynton Avenue Bronx, NY 10472 |
BROOKLYN
Building
|
Public Notice and Educational Impact Statement
|
Contact
| Hearing Date, Time and Location |
The Proposed Consolidation of Francis Perkins Academy (14K632) with Automotive High School (14K610) in Building K610 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 7, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K610 50 Bedford Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11222 | ||
The Proposed Closure of M.S. 584 (16K584) in Building K335 at the end of the 2016-2017 School Year | March 6, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K335 130 Rochester Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11213 | ||
The Proposed Grade Truncation of P.S. 262 El Hajj Malik El Shabazz School (16K262) from a K-8 School to a K-5 School in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 9, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K262 500 Macon Street Brooklyn, NY 11233 | ||
The Proposed Consolidation of Frederick Douglass Academy IV Secondary School (16K393) with the Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance (16K688) in Building K057 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM. Building K057 125 Stuyvesant Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11221 | ||
The Proposed Opening and Co-Location of Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy with J.H.S. 57 Whitelaw Reid (16K057) and the consolidated Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance (16K688) in Building K057 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 13, 2017 at 6:00 PM. Building K057 125 Stuyvesant Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11221 | ||
The Proposed Grade Truncation of P.S. 306 Ethan Allen (19K306) in Building K306 from a K-8 School to a K-5 School Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 14, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K306 970 Vermont Street Brooklyn, NY 11207 | ||
The Proposed Closure of Essence School (19K311) in Building K190 at the End of the 2016-2017 School Year | March 8, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K190 590 Sheffield Brooklyn, NY 11207 | ||
The Proposed Grade Truncation of P.S. 165 Ida Posner (23K165) in Building K165 from a K-8 School to a K-5 School beginning in the 2017-18 School Year | March 14, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building K165 76 Lott Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11212 |
QUEENS
Building
|
Public Notice and Educational Impact Statement
|
Contact
| Hearing Date, Time and Location |
The Proposed Opening and Co-Location of New Visions Charter High School for the Humanities IV (84QTBD) with Channel View School for Research (27Q262), Rockaway Park High School for Environmental Sustainability (27Q324), Rockaway Collegiate High School (27Q351), P.S. Q256 (75Q256), and Alternate Learning Center - Beach Channel Educational Complex (88Q996), in Building Q410 Beginning in the 2017-2018 School Year | March 8, 2017 at 6:00 PM Building Q410 100-00 Beach Channel Drive Queens, NY 11694 |
- Contacts
- Panel for Educational Policy
52 Chambers StreetNew York NY 10007212-374-5038 (Phone)212-374-5588 (Fax)panel@schools.nyc.gov
Contracts Committee Meeting March 21, 2017 - 5:30 P.M.
Tweed Courthouse - Second Floor Conference Room
52 Chambers St.
New York, NY 10007
Panel MeetingMarch 22, 2017 - 6:00 P.M.
High School for Fashion Industries
225 W 24th St.
Manhattan, NY 10011
52 Chambers St.
New York, NY 10007
Panel MeetingMarch 22, 2017 - 6:00 P.M.
High School for Fashion Industries
225 W 24th St.
Manhattan, NY 10011