TESTIMONY
Fernando Alvarez, 4th Grade Teacher in East Harlem, on the Loss of Arts Programs and Charter School Disparities Due to Budget Cuts
2:56:52
·
102 sec
Fernando Alvarez highlights the detrimental impact of budget cuts on arts education and the disparities between charter and public schools.
- Alvarez, a 4th grade teacher, shares his experience of volunteering to teach drama because of budget cuts.
- He explains that his school in East Harlem has lost both its music and drama teacher positions due to budget constraints.
- Alvarez emphasizes how the absence of arts programs makes his school less appealing to parents.
- He raises concerns about the disparity in facilities between charter schools and public schools, using Dream Academy and PS 38 as examples.
- The teacher questions if public schools have ever been collocated in charter school buildings, highlighting unequal resource distribution.
Fernando Alvarez
2:56:52
A few years ago, I volunteered because of cuts to teach drama in my school, and I taught it 1 year.
2:57:00
Only because I didn't want the program to go away.
2:57:04
And but I had to go back to the classroom a Janet teacher under that license.
2:57:11
So I saw it go.
2:57:13
And in my school, we currently don't have a music teacher or a drama teacher.
2:57:18
Because of budget cuts.
2:57:19
So thank you for for bringing that up that the the the arts a lot of times is what makes parents think that's the school I want my kids to go to.
2:57:29
And unfortunately, my school is not offering that, not because we're not good.
2:57:34
It's because of budget cuts.
2:57:36
That's at least the the explanation I was given.
2:57:39
Also another thing that was mentioned well, that wasn't mentioned.
2:57:43
Has there ever been a charter school that gets a public school collocated in one of their buildings?
2:57:50
Because in across the street from where I live in East Harlem, is PS 38, which is located inside the projects of Washington projects in East Harlem.
2:58:00
And right on the outskirts of that project is Dream Academy with their shiny building, brand new building.
2:58:10
Their cafeteria is all glass walls, all full length windows.
2:58:17
And the kids that have to go to PS 38 have to walk by that every day.
2:58:22
And I was just wondering, has anyone ever meant, I know Gil Brewer offered it.
2:58:27
In in a meeting about Twills, about how there could be collocations, but that's the only time I've ever heard it.