ALBANY, N.Y. April 5, 2017 — As budget negotiations remain snarled, New York State United Teachers today said Senate Republicans are willing to siphon $150 million from local school districts to reward the charter industry and their billionaire donors.
NYSUT said, “Instead of fighting for students and schools in their own districts, Senate Republicans are trying to steer $150 million in new funding to corporate charters — giving already flush-with-cash charters more than twice the funding increase per student than other students would receive. Most of these Republican senators have zero charters in their districts. It is shameful that these Republican senators would abandon their local schools to fight for corporate charters in New York City. There’s only one explanation — the $11 million pumped in the Senate GOP’s campaign bank accounts by their billionaire donors.
“Our message for Senate Republicans is clear: Do not go home. Do your job and disavow the ‘DeVostation’ of public education. Support a budget that is good for public schools, not for charter operators.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.
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