New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta issued the following statement today regarding Gov. Kathy Hochul’s budget presentation:
For years, NYSUT members have been fighting for proper school funding and staff levels. The governor's proposed budget is a historic step in the right direction that promises to dramatically improve our schools and the communities they serve.
However, we have grave concerns about the proposal to expand the number of charter schools. This will have a devastating impact on our public schools, especially for our state’s most underserved students. History shows that the corporate charter school industry is interested in making profits, not in the well-being of all students, educators and families. Charters exclude students who don’t fit their business model, and they operate without input from the public or accountability to taxpayers. Where public schools unite our communities, charter schools fracture them.
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.