New York, NY – As final negotiations wrap up on the state budget, public school parent activists and students today rallied outside Tweed Courthouse to urge legislators to pass the meaningful education reforms outlined in Governor Cuomo’s education Opportunity Agenda. Parents and students across New York, including grassroots activists organized by education reform advocacy organization StudentsFirstNY and Derrell Bradford, executive director of NYCAN, view Governor Cuomo’s reforms as critical to improving public school options.
StudentsFirstNY Director of Organizing Tenicka Boyd said: "We cannot allow the loud special interests to drown out the voices of parents and students anymore. We are standing with Governor Cuomo because he is fighting to give our children the world-class public schools they deserve."
StudentsFirstNY organized the rally as a part of its grassroots outreach campaign to encourage the passage of Governor Cuomo’s education Opportunity Agenda, and has mobilized hundreds of parents to make phone calls, canvass and rally on behalf of the Governor’s agenda.
District school parent Au Hogan said: "It's time for legislators in Albany to stop turning a blind eye while the education system fails another generation of our children. It's time for legislators to pass Governor Cuomo's Opportunity Agenda so we can save our failing schools."
"Governor Cuomo is fighting to provide every child in this state with an education that will prepare them to succeed in the world we have made for them. Our kids deserve that opportunity, and there are 250,000 reasons why it needs to happen today," said NYCAN executive director Derrell Bradford.
Anyta Brown, grandmother of seven public school students from East New York, said: "Governor Cuomo is fighting for our kids and it's time for the Legislature to get on board. Albany should stand up for our students and pass the Governor's Opportunity Agenda now."
