BP Adams Joins Charter Schools Demanding Equitable Access To School Security
Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, New York City Councilmen Antonio Reynoso (D-Bushwick, Williamsburg) and Robert Cornegy (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights), and New York City Charter School Center CEO James Merriman will join charter educators and families today to demand New York City provide equitable access to school security guard funding for every school.
According to Local Law 02-2016, a reimbursement fund with taxpayer dollars was created for non-public schools with over 300 students to cover the cost of keeping their school facilities safe through contracts with private security firms. However, the measure left charter schools, which are in the private space, out of the deal.
Recently introduced legislation, Intro 70, sponsored by Council member Chaim Deutsch (D-Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Beach, Brighton Beach, Midwood), would revise that law by eliminating the minimum enrollment threshold. As currently written, Intro 70 would once again leave charter schools to fend for themselves.
Public charter schools in private space are the only schools in New York City – public or private – that, regardless of enrollment size, are left to fend for themselves for building security. These schools, serving over 42,000 students citywide, are forced to take money and resources out of the classroom to provide the basic security every other school enjoys – including the City’s wealthiest schools.
Charter schools are free, independently run public schools that are able to innovate in their classroom structures, curriculum, and teaching methods. In return, they’re held to higher standards of accountability. More than 90 percent of the City’s charter school students are African-American or Latino, and over 70 percent are from low-income families. There are 227 public charter schools serving approximately 114,000 students in all five boroughs for the 2017-2018 school year.
The event is slated for 11 a.m., today, May 22, at Brooklyn Borough Hall, at 209 Joralemon Street in Downtown Brooklyn.
CM Williams Calls For Increased NYCHA Senior Housing
City Council member Jumaane Williams (D-Flatbush, East Flatbush, Midwood) will join East Brooklyn Congregations, Metro IAF, and community residents today to call on Mayor Bill de Blasio to build affordable senior housing units on New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) infill land.
Williams alongside housing advocates will call on the mayor to increase affordable senior housing at public housing developments, helping to alleviate the senior housing crisis and to open additional NYCHA units for families to access.
The event is slated for 10 a.m., today, May 22, at Glenwood Senior Center, at 5701 Avenue H in Flatlands.
Golden, Malliotakis Announce No R-Train Reduction During L Train Shutdown
State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C-I,Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights, Bensonhurst, Marine Park, Gerritsen Beach, Gravesend, Manhattan Beach) and Assembly member Nicole Malliotakis (R,C,I, Ref-Brooklyn/Staten Island) announced yesterday a commitment from the MTA that there will be no reduced R train service during the upcoming L train shutdown.
The Village Voice had previously reported that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority was planning to reduce the R train by two trips per hour.
Last year, the MTA announced plans to shut down the popular subway route in April 2019 between Manhattan and Brooklyn in order to make Hurricane Sandy related repairs. The shutdown is expected to affect the daily commutes of over 200,000 riders.
“The R train continues to be a constant source of frustration for Bay Ridge commuters. Whether its disabled trains, signal problems, or service disruptions, straphangers are tired of being late to work, school and other destinations. Adding an extra burden to the R Train schedule, by picking up some of the L line’s service, would have been counterproductive and only further exasperate service delays,” said Golden.
“Today, we reached out to MTA chairman Joe Lhota to voice our opposition to the reduced R train schedule that would heavily impact residents in our district. The Bay Ridge community has endured its share of service interruptions, delays and shutdowns during the past two years. To further inconvenience commuters is unacceptable. Thankfully, Chairman Lhota has assured us that there will be no schedule reductions to the R train while the L train is repaired,” said Malliotakis.
Cumbo Reveals District 35 Participatory Budgeting Winning Projects
City Council Majority Leader Laurie A. Cumbo (D-Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Prospect Heights, Crown Heights) will announce Council District 35’s 2018 Participatory Budgeting (PB) winning projects today.
PB, the largest civic engagement program in the country, allowed residents to spend up to $1 million of Majority Leader Cumbo’s discretionary funding. This Year, 27 districts across the city participated in the program, allowing residents to choose which projects would be the most meaningful in their communities.
“I’m eager to share the results with you. Your votes have helped to determine which projects are needed most to help improve our community,” said Cumbo.
The event is slated for 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., today, May 22, at Medgar Evers College Preparatory School (between Rogers & Nostrand Avenues), at 1186 Carroll Street, in Crown Heights
North BK Lawmakers Rally Together To Combat Gun Violence
Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez, City Council member Antonio Reynoso and State Senator Martin Malave Dilan, all representatives of Bushwick and Williamsburg rallied together last Friday to bring peace to the Bushwick community, in the wake of a double homicide.
On May 11, Ana Devalle, a 62-year-old resident of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Bushwick Houses was found dead after being shot in the head with a .38 caliber weapon. Her neighbor Basil Gray, 54, was also killed with a similar weapon. Police suspect the killings are related but a suspect has yet to be detained.Devalle was found bound by her hands. Gray’s body was found by his family last Monday after they had not heard from him for days. Gray had been shot in the torso multiple times.
At the event, local lawmakers spoke directly to local residents, in hopes of rebuilding strength and secureness to the public housing complex.
“By speaking with one collective voice, we can make clear that our community will not tolerate these acts of violence and that we demand our neighbors feel safe in their homes and community. This issue will not resolve itself. It require all of us to come together, working at the local, citywide, state and federal levels, and drawing together members from across the community to say these acts of violence will never be accepted and we must do better,” said Velazquez.
“Last week’s horrific occurrence was understandably perpetuated feelings of anxiety and unease amongst residents. At this time, it is imperative that we come together as a community; working to rebuild bonds of trust by facilitating an open dialogue about how to ensure that something like this never happens again,” said Reynoso.
“It’s important to speak out against violence, but you have to meet it with force to counter it. We have to express ourselves as a community. We have to say loudly, that acts like those committed at Bushwick Houses will not be the norm. We have to stand up to violence and show that it has no place in Bushwick and will not be tolerated,” said Dilan.
Menchaca Reacts To NYPD Enforcement Incident In Sunset Park
City Council member Carlos Menchaca (D-Red Hook, Sunset Park) expressed extreme concern regarding an incident last weekend involving a young teenager and New York Police Department (NYPD) officers yesterday.
Over the weekend, a teen was paralyzed from the neck down after a clash with a police officer early Sunday. According to initial reports, the 17-year-old had been involved in a fight outside a catering hall while attending a quinceañera party at the Widdi Catering Hall in Sunset Park, when a brawl broke out just before 2:30 a.m.
The teen was being restrained by people involved in the large dispute outside the hall, as police arrived, but then the teen managed to break free. Several responding officers chased him a few blocks until one cop caught him, grabbed him and fell with the boy to the ground, according to a source. The officers took him into custody, but removed the handcuffs after he complained that he could feel nothing in his legs. The boy was taken to NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn, where he was listed in serious condition, following the incident.
I am also in direct consultation with NYPD and have lodged a demand with Commissioner O’Neill for a thorough investigation, and an expedited accounting of exactly what happened. Our community deserves full transparency and accountability for all NYPD interactions — especially ones that lead to such serious consequences. I urge anyone with information about this incident to come forward and help with the investigation. For the moment, please keep the young man and his family in your prayers,”added Menchaca.
