Thursday, June 21, 2007

NYC After School Blues

Hey Mayor Mike, I have a proposal for you. How about you ask your friends to help out after school programs that are being cut, instead of giving money for high test scores, give money for after school programs. It is a no-brainer really.
140,000 New York City kids enrolled in publicly funded after-school programs will be left with nowhere to go once the final bell rings this year, thanks to funding cuts from the federal government and poor timing by the State Education Department. (information from the Queens Tribune)
There are many benefits for after school programs that help children through mentoring, enrichment, and mainly keep them off the streets.
My children attended a school with a TASC program and loved it, they wanted to attend every day. It is a shame that we need to pay for test incentives, but the programs that will help them score high on the tests are being eliminated.
Now I know you have nothing to do with the federal government cutting the funds, but you do have an opportunity to help the children to keep programs that they enjoy. Think about it.

1 comment:

Hugh O'Donnell said...

Hi Mom! My Dad taught at Levittown Memorial HS on LI in the 50s and early 60s. He and my mother moved the entire family to the wild west in 1963 to open up some literal and figurative vistas for my sis and me.

It was a tough move. But now we're glad they did it.

Good luck with the funding thing. We're in a money crunch nationwide.