New York, N.Y. (May 14, 2021) — In response to New York City Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang’s proposal for an “Educational Opportunity Fund,” which would provide families with government-funded debit cards to cover private educational costs, the public education advocacy organization Alliance for Quality Education released the following statement:
“Andrew Yang’s proposal to use federal stimulus funds to provide debit cards to New York City parents to cover educational expenses is just the latest example of a self-proclaimed ‘progressive’ touting the privatization of our public school system. Make no mistake, Yang’s proposal is nothing new or innovative: it is a school voucher wrapped in a shiny package. His proposal would undermine the ability of our public schools to meet the needs of all students, while being grossly inadequate for families to provide for their children’s educational needs on their own. Like every other school voucher that has been proposed over the years, from Andrew Cuomo to Betsy DeVos, Yang’s debit card voucher program is rooted in siphoning public funding to the private sector, and needs to be recognized for what it is: an attack on our public schools,” said Maria Bautista, Campaigns Director, Alliance for Quality Education.