PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Sydney Altfield, Executive Director of Teach NYS on Non-Public School Security Funding
3:29:45
·
120 sec
Sydney Altfield, Executive Director of Teach NYS, testified in support of expanding the local law that provides security guard funding for non-public schools. She urged the council to lower the current 300-student threshold, allowing smaller schools to be eligible for the program.
- Altfield highlighted that schools with just under 300 students are currently excluded, forcing parents to cover security costs.
- She described this as an "anti-semitism tax" for Jewish schools and an "Islamophobia tax" for Islamic schools.
- Altfield reported that since October 7th, security costs for schools have increased by 47%, with most of the burden falling on parents.
Sydney Altfield
3:29:45
Hello, distinguished chairs and members of the council.
3:29:47
Thank you for having me.
3:29:49
My name is Sydney Alfield, and I'm the executive director of teach NYS.
3:29:52
I also wanna thank the esteemed principals that were here to testify during their day of school.
3:29:58
And those in the gallery watching.
3:30:01
For years, local law too has been a lifeline for schools above 300 students enrolled.
3:30:07
They they need this program.
3:30:09
They they use this program.
3:30:11
Hundreds of of schools use this program, and thousands of students are safe because of this program.
3:30:17
But also every year since local law too has passed, thousands of students are not eligible for the safety, and hundreds of schools are being left out.
3:30:28
Every year, I get this phone call.
3:30:30
I get a phone call from a school administrator telling me that last year, they had 304 students, and this year, they have 297.
3:30:39
And where are they supposed to get that extra money?
3:30:42
To have a security guard in front of their school.
3:30:44
They have to turn to the parents.
3:30:46
This inevitably becomes an anti semitism tax for the Jewish schools.
3:30:50
This becomes an Islamophobia tax for the Islamic schools that are being paid from the parents to keep their students safe.
3:30:58
I get these calls every single year.
3:31:01
And since October 7th hate crimes have risen exponentially as well as spending for security.
3:31:07
Teach NYS did a survey after October 7th and found that security funding security cost increased in schools 47%.
3:31:17
And the majority of that cost was being covered from the parents.
3:31:21
It is enough that these families are paying and have this financial burden on their shoulders to keep their students safe.
3:31:28
The most basic right that our government should be should be giving us.
3:31:32
And so I urge the council to pass this local law to expansion to lower the threshold from 300 students to include every student no matter what size their school is, no matter where they go to school.
3:31:44
Thank you.
