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A victory for children Court again orders state to spend billions more on public schools
March 30, 2006 Assemblyman James Gary Pretlow, D-Westchester, listens to concerns from members of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers. From left are Pretlow, Florence McCue, Debbie Collier and YFT President Pat Puleo. As legislators wrestled with budget details to enact a state spending plan before the April 1 deadline, a new court decision in the Campaign for Fiscal Equity case directed lawmakers to spend billions more on education. "This is a ringing victory for children in underfunded New York City public schools and children in high-need school districts across the state," said Dick Iannuzzi, president of New York State United Teachers. "This must be a statewide remedy. This decision delivers a clear message: Enough is enough. Any further appeals are pointless." The Appellate Division of state Supreme Court on March 23 ordered state leaders to provide up to $5.63 billion in additional operating aid to New York City public schools, beginning this fiscal year. The court said the city will need more than $9 billion to make capital improvements. In 2003, a CFE lawsuit led to a ruling by the Court of Appeals that New York's system of education funding deprived many school children of a "sound, basic education." Last year, a state Supreme Court justice ordered the state to provide more funds for students shortchanged by the funding formula. Union leaders and members of a pro-public-education coalition have pointed to the case as one example of the need for the state to direct more money to public schools — not expensive backdoor voucher schemes. Iannuzzi said both the Assembly and Senate appear to have rejected a multi-million-dollar "education tax credit," but the 525,000-member union is not resting on its laurels. "The notion that the Legislature would consider using public tax dollars to help private and religious schools — while public schools cry out for more state aid — angered our members," Iannuzzi said. Educators, including some 800 members of the union's Committtee of 100 who lobbied at the state Capitol March 21, let the elected officials know just how they felt (see related story). Fax blitz In just 10 days in March, union members bombarded legislators with more than 31,000 faxes opposing the voucher schemes that could drain anywhere from $400 million to $1.2 billion annually from state coffers. Gov. Pataki proposed providing $500-per-child tax credits for families that live in a district with a school in need of improvement. The credits, which could be used for private and religious school tuition, would mostly serve parents who already send their children to those schools, critics note. Worse yet, said Alan Lubin, NYSUT executive vice president, the funds would be disbursed without a shred of accountability. "Public schools in New York are the most scrutinized and most accountable schools in the nation," Lubin said. "It's wrong to pour $400 million into private or church schools while the state continues to ignore its obligation to adequately fund public education." NYSUT isn't the only group up in arms over vouchers. The statewide union is part of a coalition of more than a dozen organizations representing parents, taxpayers, educators, administrators and other public education advocates. NYSUT launched a massive campaign opposing the governor's voucher scheme. Efforts include:
With a reported $4 billion surplus, the Legislature can still fashion an education budget that fulfills the state's court-ordered funding obligation to public schools and building improvements, Lubin said. — Clarisse Butler Banks |
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