Skip to content
Know Your Rights
Source: NY1
Subject: Education Justice
Type: Media Coverage

Parents Interrupt Monthly Education Policy Meeting To Voice Concerns

A few dozen parents interrupted the monthly Panel for Educational Policy, or PEP, meeting Monday night once again speaking out against the planned reorganization of the city schools.


“I request that you honor the rules of this proceeding and indeed that you pay the respect to everyone on the panel as well as the many people sitting here who would like to be heard,” said Schools Chancellor Joel Klein.

The plan, set to take effect in September, would end the 10 regions, bring back 32 community school districts and have every school choose a support path.

But protestors say the plan won’t solve what’s really wrong with the school system.

“We have a child in school with no up-to-date textbooks; we have children in schools that have historically been failing, and yet you decide not to listen to us – that’s what you’re feeling, that’s what you’re hearing, and you’re going to continue to hear it until, guess what? The restructuring is stopped and you listen to us,” said one parent.

But Chancellor Klein says while the protestors are clear on what they’re against, they’re not as clear on what changes they’d like to see:

“The most important thing to me: what are the specific concerns? And that is something that you hear a paucity of,” said Klein.

Protestors say Klein is going to hear a lot more of them between now and September, but the reorganization plan appears to be moving forward anyway.