NYC CHARTER SCHOOL CENTER CEO JAMES MERRIMAN RESPONDS TO ASSEMBLY SPEAKER’S TROUBLING COMMENTS ON PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOLS
(New York, NY) – NYC Charter School Center CEO James Merriman today responded to recent comments made by Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie about public charter schools. In a statement yesterday regarding regulations to enhance safety at daycare centers, Speaker Heastie claimed Governor Cuomo uses charter schools to “undermine New York City public schools.”
"Speaker Heastie owes an apology to teachers, families and school leaders all over New York City. Charter schools do not undermine the public schools system, they are an essential part of it, successfully educating many of our neediest students. Tens of thousands of parents who enroll their children in New York City’s charter schools understand this, as do parents of over 40,000 children who were wait-listed at charter schools they applied to. Denigrating the hard-working people who work in charter schools is not helpful to our shared work. We look forward to working with the Speaker to put political rhetoric aside and make sure every student in New York City has access to a great public education.”
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