Rally at PS 125
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Before and after school tomorrow, parents and education advocates will rally outside PS 125 in Harlem to protest the Department of Education’s exclusion of the community (and the Community Education Council) from local zoning decisions, which CECs are legally bound to review and approve. PS 125 currently enrolls student in grades 3 through 6, receiving students from PS 36, which covers pre-K through grade 2. The DOE has decided that PS 36 will expand to include older students, curtailing the stream of students that has long fed PS 125, and that PS 125 will lose its sixth grade.
That block of West 125th street is one of the most school-dense zones in town: PS 125 shares its building with the Columbia Secondary School for Math, Science and Engineering, which will eventually span grades 6 through 12 — and its next door neighbor is the well-regarded KIPP Star College Prep Charter School.
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The Ralph Bunche School PS-125M currently serves Grades K-6. The school also houses the novel Manhattan Gifted and Talented Dual Language English-French program started 2007, and is now expanding to Grades K-3 starting September 2009. Due to high interest in the current and potential program developments, diversified curriculum and international appeal, PS125M is now a NYC CHOICE school, and as such, is now currently accepting applications for K-6 for 2009-2010 from all boroughs, and offering weekly school tours.
The March 31st morning SAVE OUR SCHOOL rally was a SUCCESS. The rally was a united opposition of all stakeholders to the ill decisions, inadequate consultation and ineffective communication of the NYC Department of Education toward the SAVE OUR SCHOOL stakeholders (scholars, parents, staff and teachers, and community).
THANKS TO EVERYONE. We extend thanks and gratitude to our active scholars, concerned parents, the dedicated staff and teachers, our local business community, and local officials: Ms Anthonine Pierre from the Office of Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer, City Council Member, Majority Whip, Inez E. Dickens, 9th District, Manhattan, and Education Chair, Council Member Robert Jackson. We would also like to welcome and give thanks to the outstanding assistance of our community precinct Local 26, and NY1 for extensive coverage of this important event.
The ongoing challenge towards open communication, transparency, and appropriate consultation between Department of Education, the parents and the community is urgently eminent to the successful short and long term planning for all SAVE OUR SCHOOL stakeholders. The right of parents to have and thus choose their neighborhood school as a best fit for their children, the right of staff and teachers to know the state of their employment, and the need of the community to ensure its development are all being delayed and/or not addressed at the mercy of autocratic decisions of the NYC Department of Education.
As such, we encourage the support of other concerned persons, schools, officials, community leaders and scholars to unite with us in opening the door and expanding the Round Table of Discussion to ensure that all stakeholders’ voices are heard and respected.
If you are a public school advocate, graduate of a public school, alumni of PS125M, or believe in public education, neighborhood schools and parents’ preference to keep public schools public, and above all, a commitment to serve the best interest of our children, we welcome your sponsorship and contributions.
To join the Bunche of Parents and the SAVE OUR SCHOOL campaign, please forward your tax-deductible contributions to A Bunche of Parents, The Parent Association PS125M, 425 West 123rd Street, Suite 102, New York, NY 10027. For further information, please contact us at 212 666 6400 or email us at PAPS125@gmail.com.
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Comment by Parent Association PS-125 — March 31, 2009 @ 11:42 am