Ending a Decade of a Dream Denied
Walk With Us on October 4th to Demand Justice!
After 10 years of broken promises on school funding, the Peekskill City School District and Ossining School District are collaborating with the Alliance for Quality Education and partners throughout New York State to organize #EdWalk.
October 10, 2016 is the anniversary of the Campaign for Fiscal Equity court decision, which ruled that the state is systemically underfunding Black, Latino and low-income students in many districts across New York.
Participants will walk for nine days from New York City Hall to Albany to demand that the Governor and state legislature meet their obligation to all children. The walk will launch on Sunday, October 2nd, and arrive on the steps of the State Capitol on Tuesday, October 11th.
On Tuesday, October 4th, at 9am, the walk will stop at the Ossining School District for a rally in support of this mission. Members of our communities are invited to Ossining High School for an event that intends to show our support. At approximately 10am we will begin our walk to Peekskill Middle School (11 miles). We hope to arrive at Peekskill Middle School at approximately 2:30pm where we will have lunch and a meet/greet with the walkers. Attendees are encouraged to wear our school’s colors of red and/or blue.
Why is this important? At this time, the Peekskill City School District is owed $32.6 million. At the same time, our district has changed since Foundation Aid was frozen in 2007-2008:
- Our free and reduced student population exceeds 85%
- Student enrollment has increased by over 800 students
- Increased student needs/mandates for English Language Learners
- Increase in Special Education Students/additional mandates
- Growing student body/increased facility needs
- Foundation aid has been shortchanged by $10 million, this year alone, $32.6 million in total!
Download the informational flyer here.
We hope to see you on Tuesday, October 4th for our walk from Ossining High School at approximately 10am to arrive at Peekskill Middle School at approximately 2:30pm.
If you would like to support this mission but cannot join us for the walk, click here to learn how you can take action!