KINGSTON – New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) brought their statewide school tour to Ulster County, Friday, joined by local teachers and officials. The tour is part of the Fund Our Future initiative that is aimed at raising awareness about a severe lack of educational funding within the state.
Currently, the state owes 400 school districts approximately $3.4 billion in foundation aid. Kingston school district alone is owed $14.7 million.
Although statewide there is a need for space, funding for the many unfunded mandates and experienced staffing to provide computer skills to students for state testing conducted via computers, Kingston needs social service and mental health professionals to accommodate the influx of new students, said President of Kingston Teachers Federation Lauri Naccarato.
“What the district really needs is help with addressing the needs of our students; that is social emotional, the mental health, the health, the educational needs. We’ve done a lot, for a really long time, without the money to do it. Now, we’re just not in the position to do it,” she said. “We’ve had an influx of ESL students; we’ve had an influx of other kids coming in. Our population shrunk and now it’s expanding again.”
NYSUT Secretary Treasurer Phillipe Abraham said those same needs have been a reoccurring theme on their tour across the state. Abraham suggests that a larger taxation on the uber-wealthy should be instated to make up for the lack in revenue the state has been able to procure.
“There’s a need that’s not being met because the state is not funding the schools properly and the state has not taken steps to bring in revenue by taxing just a bit more, those that are super rich – those billionaires and ultra-millionaires that can well afford to pay a little bit back, so that kids can have a future and have a well-rounded education everywhere,” said Abraham.
NYSUT will continue their tour across the state in the hopes of persuading state officials to align with their cause for the 2021 budget.
