March 23, 2014

CONNETQUOT TEACHERS ASSOCIATION DEMONSTRATES
AGAINST PROPOSED NEW YORK STATE BUDGET

Connetquot Teachers Association President Anthony Felicio, Jr. (c) and members of the organization joined demonstrators from throughout the region to picket the Smithtown offices of New York State Senator John J. Flanagan on March 21st.

Bohemia, NY --- On March 21st Connetquot Teachers Association (CTA) President Anthony Felicio, Jr., led dozens of CTA members, parents and supporters in a demonstration at the Smithtown offices of New York State Senator John J. Flanagan. The CTA members joined like-minded citizens opposed to the proposed New York State budget.

Felicio said that “Connetquot teachers understand the importance of advocating for their profession. Politicians must be held accountable for their decisions, and the negative effects those decisions are having on our students, and public education.” Demonstrators were vocal in their opposition to the New York State resolutions that would:

• Make the tax cap worse! It would require a district to stay below the 1.46% cap. The Senate would also make permanent the existing tax cap law, which would otherwise ‘sunset’ in 2016.
  
• Provide ‘back-door’ vouchers to private schools, which would further decrease funding of public schools
  
• Provide $161 million less in K-12 school funding, than the Assembly proposal.
  
• Would not address any of our testing, APPR, or Common Core issues

Felicio continued, “The New York State Senate actually adds as much funding for Tuition Tax Credits, Charter Schools and Non-Public Schools, as they do for K-12 Public School Aid! The NY State Senate proposal includes Governor Cuomo’s language that could lead to the privatization of SUNY Downstate Medical Center and other public hospitals.”

“It is imperative that professional educators, parents and others who believe in a quality public education for our students, stand together. We must insist our elected officials rethink their positions, and make decisions that benefit our children, and communities.”

photo provided by the Connetquot Teachers Association