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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Chauncy Young, Director of New Settlement Parent Action Committee
9:36:33
ยท
3 min
Chauncy Young, representing the New Settlement Parent Action Committee, advocates for increased investment in New York City public schools, particularly in social-emotional support, trauma-responsive care, and restorative justice programs. He criticizes budget cuts to essential programs while questioning the allocation of funds to initiatives like Project Pivot.
- Calls for $80 million investment in restorative justice programs for 500 schools
- Emphasizes the need for trauma-responsive, healing-centered practices in schools
- Urges continued funding for mental health, community schools, early childhood education, and support for immigrant families
Chauncy Young
9:36:33
Good evening honorable chair Joseph and New York City Council members.
9:36:37
My name is Chaunce Young and I'm a Bronx parent living in the Highbridge neighborhood of the Bronx and the director of the new settlement parent action committee.
9:36:44
PAC is a member organization with the New York City Coalition for Educational Justice, the New York Dignian Schools Coalition, the Healing Centered Schools Working Group, and the Coalition for Equitable Education Funding.
9:36:59
For nearly thirty years the Parent Action Committee has been led by Bronx parents who believe that every child deserves access to a quality education.
9:37:07
For several years we partnered with the DOE to develop the parent healing ambassador program but since the DOE paused this program, we sought private funding and have worked for 12 schools in District 9 to further develop the healing center schools as a model for both the city and for across the country.
9:37:29
But our members are extremely concerned about this state of New York City public schools and have been advocating for equitable funding in schools on both the city and statewide level.
9:37:39
The City Of New York needs to invest in our schools and our families and invest in social emotional support for students.
9:37:46
Our students and families need trauma responsive care and culture responsive healing centered practices.
9:37:52
Our schools need to be provided with support and guidance to develop trauma responsive healing centered schools.
9:37:59
New York City needs to make it clear to all New Yorkers that our students and our city are safe and a sanctuary for our immigrant families and students and did not cooperate with ICE.
9:38:10
We need to be investing in our future and not furthering the cradle to prison pipeline.
9:38:18
Yet on so many ways New York City has continued to undermine this by not moving forward with fully funding restorative justice programs, a program that could use this funding to train our young adults to be school based restorative justice coordinators.
9:38:35
Mayor Adams has continued to cut this funding while continuing to increase funding to project pivot now at $20,000,000, though I believe city council, the public advocate's office, and the controller's offices continue to ask questions about how this funding is being spent.
9:38:51
We would demand that New York City instead invest $80,000,000 to fully refund restorative justice programs in 500 schools.
9:39:00
It is also our demand that the city continues to invest $5,000,000 in mental health continuum, fully in fund fully restore programming to our community schools, three k, pre k, to our immigrant families, communication outreach, and to preschool special education funding.
9:39:21
The city budget is a moral document.
9:39:23
It shows our cities and our leaders priorities, and we ask you to invest in a future for our children and for the future of New York City.
9:39:32
Thank you.