Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Serahi D., Student from Young Women's Leadership School at The Bronx, on School Safety and Support
7:50:00
ยท
3 min
Serahi D., a junior at the Young Women's Leadership School in The Bronx, testified about the lack of adequate support and resources in her school, emphasizing the need for more counselors, mental health professionals, and restorative justice practices instead of a heavy police presence. She highlighted the importance of creating a nurturing environment for effective learning and called for increased funding to address these issues.
- Pointed out the imbalance between the number of counselors (2-3) and police officers for 500 students
- Described feeling like school is more like a prison due to random metal detector scans
- Advocated for $80 million for 500 schools, $75 million for community members, $12 million for baseline funding, and $16 million to transform deans
Serahi D.
7:50:00
Good afternoon.
7:50:01
My name is Serahi Drame and I'm a junior at the Young Women's Leadership School at The Bronx at District 9 working with Yaya Network and Digne at School today.
7:50:09
Thank you for this opportunity to talk to you guys.
7:50:12
We're often told how important education is but I haven't seen that importance reflected in our schools, in our policies, in our funding.
7:50:20
As someone goes who goes to school predominantly of people of color, I can't help but wonder how much of a priority our education truly is to those with the power to control it.
7:50:28
You see, you know how many counselors I have in my school?
7:50:32
Two to three for almost 500 students.
7:50:36
Two to three compared to the several police officers.
7:50:40
I mean, I see the police officers more than I see the counselors.
7:50:43
When I get to school, I don't have access to my counselors when I need them most because they're too busy.
7:50:48
This lack of support has had a large effect on my ability to learn when I'm struggling.
7:50:54
Sometimes my school will have like random metal detectors that scan us.
7:51:00
During those times, school feels more like a prison than a place of learning.
7:51:04
A lot of issues that happen at schools happen because of the lack of preventative measures such as mental health support.
7:51:10
Police officers are trained to enforce laws but keeping schools safe also involves social issues like bullying, etcetera.
7:51:19
It's hard for our school to feel like a nurturing environment with the presence of traditional law enforcement.
7:51:24
The human brain is designed to protect us so when kids don't feel safe, they fight, freeze, shut down.
7:51:31
The internalization of harm goes stronger through suppression isolation.
7:51:35
So when kids get in trouble, we shouldn't meet that with aggression and harsh suspensions.
7:51:40
We need to provide healing and compassion.
7:51:43
More counselors, mental health professionals, and restorative justice in schools will help will provide that.
7:51:51
When kids feel safe, they not only they not only can but will learn.
7:51:56
When I meet with my counselor, I get close to solving my issues whereas police officers are reactive measures that leave me feeling on edge.
7:52:03
I learn better, feel better, and lead better.
7:52:06
When schools become locations for healing, they also become locations for learning.
7:52:10
Unfortunately, this lack of funding has stretched even more.
7:52:15
My school didn't even have a chemistry teacher last year and many of my classrooms don't even have enough chairs.
7:52:20
These are the bare necessities.
7:52:21
We shouldn't have to ask and fight for this.
7:52:25
We need an educational experience that help us, heal us, and set us up for success.
7:52:31
We deserve so much more than just the lowest acceptable standards.
7:52:35
That's why we're here today demanding $80,000,000 to 500 schools, $75,000,000 to commuter members, dollars 12,000,000 for our baseline, and $16,000,000 to transform deans.
7:52:45
It's not just time more funding but for funding to be used the most effective way when it comes to school safety and helping students.
7:52:57
No more can we tolerate our ask to fall on deaf ears.