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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Henry Rubio, President of Council of School Supervisors and Administrators
4:22:27
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170 sec
Henry Rubio, President of the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators, addresses the NYC City Council on behalf of 17,000 in-service and retired school leaders and administrators. He focuses on the critical need for improved safety measures in schools and early childhood education centers.
- Highlights a shortage of safety agents and lack of adequate safety coverage in some school campuses
- Calls for a citywide plan to increase and equitably deploy school safety agents, invest in critical safety infrastructure, and restore safe corridor practices
- Emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach to safety, including guidance counselors, conflict resolution programs, and assistant principals in every school
Henry Rubio
4:22:27
Good afternoon Chair Joseph and Chair Brennan.
4:22:31
And thank you for this opportunity.
4:22:32
Of course, our champion speaker here.
4:22:36
Thank you for your leadership and the opportunity to speak today on behalf of the 17,000 in service and retired, school leaders and administrators here in New York City.
4:22:45
Again, this budget is an example of the hard work and advocacy and collaboration that you've had with stakeholders, union leaders, the mayor's office, all in the service of New York City children and their families.
4:22:56
And we commend you and and and have great gratitude for you.
4:22:59
Our written testimony applauds all the funding and programs that are critical to our students and early childhood programs.
4:23:05
So you have it already.
4:23:06
However, I wanna talk a little bit about what hasn't been talked about today.
4:23:09
Our schools cannot thrive without safety.
4:23:12
And we must be honest about where we stand today.
4:23:15
The shortage of safety agents is deeply concerning to our school leaders.
4:23:19
Particularly in the absence of a comprehensive plan for recruiting and retaining them.
4:23:24
Some of our school campuses lack adequate safety coverage and have yet to receive the scanners that they have formally requested.
4:23:31
Meanwhile, the majority of our early childhood education centers are vulnerable despite the fact that violence does not discriminate by age or by governance model.
4:23:40
Whether you're in the DOE or a community based organization.
4:23:43
So today we urge you as partners in the city council to work with us in advocating for first a citywide plan to increase and equitably deploy SAUS safety agents based on the actual need.
4:23:56
Two, invest in critical safety infrastructure.
4:23:58
Additional cameras, scanners, and security system so that every school staff and student feels safe.
4:24:05
The restoration of practice is a safe corridor.
4:24:07
And of course, let me be clear.
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We recognize that true safety extends beyond policy and technology.
4:24:14
It is rooted, we know this as educators, in culture, connection, and care.
4:24:20
And so in our written testimony you have a 10 safety plan that speaks exactly to that.
4:24:25
So for example, students need access to guidance counselors with a reasonable caseload.
4:24:30
They need a systemic conflict resolution program, peer mediation, restorative justice practices that fully embed into the fabric of schools.
4:24:38
You heard today that only 57% over 700 schools still don't have aren't being touched by those programs.
4:24:45
Every educator in our school and our leaders receive training needs to receive training around this area.
4:24:51
And we also need to have an assistant principal in every school.
4:24:56
One school leader alone cannot be expected to do it all.
4:24:59
When a principal is forced to choose between instructional leadership and crisis respond, it is the students that suffer.
4:25:04
The model is not sustainable.
4:25:06
And lastly, we need to support our school leaders with high quality professional development And we're asking the council to baseline additional funding for our executive leadership program.
4:25:15
Thank you for the opportunity to be here with you today.