By Carl Capanile in the New York Post, 25 October 2023.
Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is initiating mid-year budget cuts to public schools due to declining student enrollment, citing the return to a pre-COVID-19 fiscal policy. The move by the NYC Department of Education uses previous mid-year adjustment practices to align school funding with student numbers and needs. Despite claims of adequate funding for schools, the policy disproportionately affects vulnerable students and diminishes widespread support. The decision was met with criticism from various groups, including the United Federation of Teachers, which emphasized the inappropriateness of reducing funding, particularly when the state had pledged robust financial support. This budget strategy exacerbates disparities and perpetuates racial inequities, impacting marginalized student groups that rely on consistent, stable education support.