Photo: Bay State Banner
By Monty Neill, FairTest, Citizens for Public Schools and BEJA
On June 1, 2017, 20 youth from the YOUNG coalition, the Boston-area Youth Organizing Project (BYOP) and Roxbury Environmental Education Project (REEP) challenged the BPS budget before the City Council Ways and Means Committee. In a mix of forceful, eloquent testimony that ended with the youth and a few adult supporters chanting and marching out, students explained that Mayor Marty Walsh’s budget fails to meet the needs of students, schools and teachers. Only a few Councilors attended: Mark Ciommo (chair), Tito Jackson, Annissa Essaibi George, Frank Baker (who walked out after the first student presenter) and Ayanna Presley (who is not on the committee). Absent were committee members Lamattina, Campbell, Flaherty and O’Malley. There was a heavy and intimidating police presence in the hallway – more police than city councilors.
Here is a taste of the students’ testimony, followed by detailed excerpts:
“Cutting the budget is shortening the future of these [BPS] children and not letting them live to their full potential.”
“The people who are going to get hurt are not me, but the students of color at the Level 3 and 4 schools who are already underfunded and are going to get cut.”
“As a city, we are moving backwards. Instead of giving more money to schools, we gentrify low-income areas and push families out while tearing down their last hope. Instead of building the voices of youth, we cut budgets and close schools while ignoring the voices of those in desperate need.”
“What you see when students drop out, when they do not value education, is not because they are ignorant kids [but they] legitimately do not see a value in education from the powers that be.”
“I personally believe the school system is archaic. It’s stunting the youth.”
“I started out this year with 30-plus students in some of my classes. How are students expected to learn when there aren’t even enough desks for them to sit at?”
“Cutting the budget means the school would not be able to fund the extended learning program… Students wouldn’t be able to get the enrichment they need.” (Praising programs at her school that are endangered.)
““You expect us to grow up, to be educated, successful, but you are taking away money for us…You are not helping us to reach expectations.”
“The walkout happened and 3500 students stepped out of their schools to fight for their schools.”
“Teachers are getting cut, science is not going to be a year-round class, and some schools have to use history teachers to teach science… This $900,000 cut is going to put this school’s future in jeopardy.”
“It doesn’t make sense that I am supposed to go to school every day when my education already isn’t enough, then to have you guys say, ‘Oh, there’s not enough money’… but there’s enough money to fund all these systems that are supposed to put me in prison…”
“I went to school in the suburbs and we didn’t have problems like this because we are white. I am going to call this what it is: institutionalized racism.”
You can watch the hearing here. I extracted from and slightly edited the testimonies. I have tried to get all presenters’ names spelled correctly; my apologies if some remain incorrect.
The students start just after 25 minutes (the time each presenter started is in parentheses).
Kathleen Alvarez from Snowden International was the first to speak (25:05): “Cutting the budget is shortening the future of these [BPS] children and not letting them live to their full potential. And then you wonder why they are out in the streets when their schools are getting shut down… Schools don’t have the teachers to teach their children. They have one guidance counselor for five cops… Students are watching their programs getting cut one by one by one. Teachers apologizing because they cannot afford to take them on field trips, cannot afford the text books.” Saying she saw “dull eyes” on the part of the few Councilors present, she said, “It looks like a council of puppets.” She concluded, “I am pleading with you not to allow these budget cuts to go through.”
Councilor Frank Baker then said he had “a problem being called a puppet.” He claimed there was $40 million more in the budget (ignoring all the schools and programs facing budget cuts on already inadequate funding and previous failure to meet increasing costs, or that the on-paper increase was mostly set aside for probable teacher raises), said he would not stay to hear any more student testimony, and walked out.
Students challenged Baker from the audience and Chair Mark Ciommo declared a recess as he continued to talk with students and as police moved into the room and then withdrew.
When testimony resumed Abigail Bowers, from Boston Latin Academy (30:40), said, “I am sorry your feelings are being hurt, but our futures are being hurt right now.” She pointed out that Boston and its schools are segregated, that it is schools with mostly youth of color that are being cut instead of white-dominated schools like the Latins. Even then, “BLA doesn’t even have pencils in its art classes, and we are one of the privileged schools.” But, “The people who are going to get hurt are not me, but the students of color at the Level 3 and 4 schools who are already underfunded and are going to get cut. IEP programs (serving students with disabilities) are going to get cut… If that is cut, students such as my sister who has Aspergers, my friend who has organizing problems, and one of my other friends who is autistic, will not be able to go through high school. We are trying to be civil, but we are frustrated. We were here last year saying the same stuff. We don’t feel listened to. Councilors were on their phones. It’s completely disrespectful that one name drove a councilor out of here. You walking out is walking out of students’ futures.
Gerali Mateo, a recent BPS graduate and Boston University student (38:30) said: “My school was Dorchester Academy and it was a level 4 and it got shut down. I am the embodiment and aftermath of budget cuts… I only had one [guidance counselor] for my school of 400 kids.” She noted a lack of books and supplies, and found herself behind when she started at BU. “I am in my third year at BU. Why am I still hearing about budget cuts?”
Brian Foster, also a recent BPS grad and now a student at UMass-Boston (40:45) opened by saying, “We are angry, really angry… It feels like we are in this game, and y’all are controlling it… What really pisses us off is fighting for this last slice of the pie… I need you to hold the mayor accountable.”
Ian McSorley from Boston Day and Evening Academy (44:00), came wearing a bright orange prison jump suit. Referring to Baker’s walk out, he said the term “puppet” is accurate because the Council “cannot allocate and represent and defend and protect young people… I view it as a crime.” He went on, “The fact of the matter is, these budget cuts have been going on for years.”
Also in a prison jumpsuit, Chris Garcia from Snowden (46:50) opened by noting, “As a city, we are moving backwards. Instead of giving more money to schools, we gentrify low-income areas and push families out while tearing down their last hope. Instead of building the voices of youth, we cut budgets and close schools while ignoring the voices of those in desperate need… If this budget passes students basic human right to access a free and equal education will be at risk.” He warned of a higher dropout rate, saying “The school-to-prison pipeline will only increase.” He concluded, “I got accepted to Northeastern, a child from a low-income area with a single mother who struggles to pay the rent. I have three little brothers. I take care of them every day like they are my own little children. How is it I look at them every day and see no future in their eyes, especially from my little brother who has a mental disability. One time he asked me, ‘What’s left for me?’ And what’s left for all of us?” [ends 48:38 out of 1:41:00]
Michael Jones from Boston Day and Evening (48:50) opened by calling on the Council to apologize to the youth for the threatening presence of the police (Pheonix Printemps later pointed out there were 11 police in the hallways, far more police than Councilors.) He then pointed out that plans made to help students who face threats from ICE (immigration police) lack resources to help the students to and from and outside of school as well as in school. He went on to say that due to the lack of resources, students are “jaded and disenfranchised.” “What you see when students drop out, when they do not value education, is not because they are ignorant kids” but they “legitimately do not see a value in education from the powers that be.” That leads to “chronic absences and lower performances in schools and then schools also get graded on whether they should remain open,” leading to closing Dorchester and the teacher firings at Excel and Brighton. He pointed out that “the last domino will fall” as year after year the conversation is “how to rearrange the budget, how to cut it minimally, how to tell students there is no need to protest… You need to talk to the mayor, he is the one who can significantly make a difference… Anyone who comes into this position needs a direct line to the youth… Ask the youth what they can do with the budget, not GE.”
DeRoss Jordan (53:00), a Dorchester Academy graduate, spoke next: “I personally believe the school system is archaic. It’s stunting the youth… My school was severely underfunded, so we did not have normal classes, like we did not have an economics class… we didn’t have any AP classes. By the time we managed to get one AP class, it was my senior year… I have a little brother… I want him to go to a public school. Right now he is in a charter school. I went to a charter school, Boston Renaissance. That school was not good for me. I have ADHD. That school treated me like I was a problem that needed to he kept quiet or entertained instead of teaching me… Then I went to the Joseph Lee School (BPS). That school was at the time a terrible school. It did the same thing as the Renaissance did. It made me feel like I was out of place, like I was incapable of learning. Then I went to Dorchester Academy where teachers took the time to learn and teach with me and find the best ways for me to learn alongside them. I had one teacher named Brian Rothbaum [who] took the time every day after school to teach with me. He put me on the debate team, he put me on a sports team, he made sure that I was well-rounded and I was educated… Our school closed down… We need more funding and more opportunities for teachers like him to be present in the school.”
LaFaith Delice from Snowden (56:40) asked, “How do you expect me to share my feelings when I cannot expect to be fully listened to? It seems to us you don’t value our education the same way we do… I started out this year with 30-plus students in some of my classes. How are students expected to learn when there aren’t even enough desks for them to sit at? This year we have way too many students and not enough teachers. Some teachers don’t even want to work there next year because they don’t want to deal with the nonsense BPS has to offer… They make it seem like students who dropped out had a choice. With all this crap with the budget cuts, did they? I take SAT’s and I wasn’t even informed because I have only one guidance counselor at my school. I have younger siblings in elementary school. Why should they have to deal with any of this?”
Nataly Portillo, also from Snowden (58:50), delivered a text written by an Edwards Middle School student: “There is so much I can say about the Edwards and the way it has helped me out. The Edwards was one of the first places I felt I could be myself. I was encouraged and motivated by my teachers… It taught me to be more confident [through] extended learning programs like musical theater. Cutting the budget means the school would not be able to fund the extended learning program… Students wouldn’t be able to get the enrichment they need. .. For far too long students sat around and watched their education crumble. We are not silent any more.
Ruby Nguyen of Snowden (1:01:50): “You expect us to grow up, to be educated, successful, but you are taking away money for us…You are not helping us to reach expectations… Because there’s budget cuts, teachers don’t want to do their best.” She explained, the classes that motivate students to go to school are being cut. “At my school, there’s a four-year language (requirement), and last year the principal was thinking of ending it. How can we graduate without that four-year [program]?… You guys are expecting so much with giving us so little help.”
Erik Lazo, also of Snowden (1:06:50). “I am going to testify for Mayor Marty J. Walsh, who is not here. ‘I am going to hold myself accountable for cutting the schools’ budget.’ In all seriousness… My deep longing for education came last year when they said they are going to cut the budget. I didn’t notice how much I took education for granted. I didn’t notice when they said they are going to cut my Japanese class. Suddenly I wanted to fight for it… Something beautiful happened. The walkout happened and 3500 students stepped out of their schools to fight for their schools. A lot of teachers stopped students from stepping out. The mayor said it was wrong and a lot of people discredited us, the students, pleading for a better education… It seems kind of disturbing that we are still fighting. It’s been a year and I know I’m going to be here next year. I’ll be graduating and then I will still fight because this city is my city.” Noting that Tito came to a YOUNG meeting, Erik said, “Other than that, I don’t see anyone advocating for students except students themselves. Why should that happen?”
Bruno Köppel, an Excel graduate spoke next (1:10:50): “I am not currently in school. I am 20 years old. I was born in Cuba. I came here three years ago. I was enrolled in Dorchester (Academy). I did pretty good that year, I got mostly A’s and B’s. Around April they told us the school was going to close down… After that I went to Excel High… I graduated with a 3.8 but when I got to college I failed two semesters. I worked five hours on each class. I realized the math skills I got in high school were getting me stuck.” He went to an academy to learn how to learn the math. While doing the academy he could not do the rest of his schoolwork. “I realized the public school system was not doing its job” of getting students ready for higher education. “I cried a lot at night. I slowed down, really slowed down… People come here. They think the education is good. I did. I could have stayed in Cuba but I came here because I wanted a better future.”
Pheonix Printemps, who works with BYOP and YOUNG, spoke next (1:15:20). She opened by noting there were four Councilors present out of 11, but 11 police officers outside. “I am shaking inside of me.” She went on, “You don’t do a good job because we are here again, year after year… You’ve got seniors here who started this campaign when they were freshmen… These youth are dying because of this.” Back to the police presence, she said, “School-to-prison pipeline, it’s right outside. You want to know how those high schools feel like with police down their back, it’s right outside. Will he look at you like that? Will he look at you the way he looked at me when I walked in here? These young men and young women come in here and this is how you show them?” As she spoke, the youth and adult supporters stood with clenched fists raised. “This building does not belong to you. It belongs to them.” She pointed out the Councilors voted themselves a raise “off our backs.” “Right now its really distasteful to be representing Boston because I know how the City Council sets up… What I hope you do is find these youth and have a conversation with the actual people who have been working on this.
Kristin Lesley, an education student at Framingham State read testimony from Dylan Yuen (1:22:25). He focused on his former middle school, John W. McCormick, which he said “is going to lose around $900,000 in funding. So we can afford to by tons of iPads but we can’t buy teachers who teach? Teachers are getting cut, science is not going to be a year-round class, and some schools have to use history teachers to teach science.” He pointed out that last year, Superintendent Chang went to McCormick to talk about how important science is. “This $900,000 cut is going to put this school’s future in jeopardy.” He said he came from California three years ago, entering the McCormick in the sixth grade. The McC made sure he was ready for high school: “Now high school is a breeze for me.” He said he and his partner in debate, prepared by teachers, won the city finals and went to the nationals. “The McCormick is not just a school, but a whole family.
Kemah Greene, with Roxbury Environmental Education Project (REEP; 1:27:40) spoke next. “It doesn’t make sense that I am supposed to go to school every day when my education already isn’t enough, then to have you guys say, ‘Oh, there’s not enough money’… but there’s enough money to fund all these systems that are supposed to put me in prison… It does not make sense, there’s no excuses. Why do I have to come and fight for my education? It’s pretty clear we need more money… There is a difference between a need and a want: we need it, we need it.”
Stephanie Green (1:30:50), is from the north shore, now living and attending college in Boston (1:30:50). “I went to school in the suburbs and we didn’t have problems like this because we are white. I am going to call this what it is: institutionalized racism… It’s your job to figure out how to stop that and fix that.”
Monty Neill from FairTest (1:33:15), saying he was there to support the youth with whom he’d had the honor of working, called on the Council to send the budget back to Mayor Walsh. Noting last year’s walkouts, he asked, “Does it take a walk out to get even minor concessions?… The only solution is to build a grassroots movement, a movement that will have a new vision for our schools because our schools are not supporting the children and their futures and the communities and the nation that we need… I hope that will make you listen. Because if you don’t, then we will have the power to get the leadership we deserve.”
Kathleen Alvarez then returned to the microphone: “Are you guys sitting at a broken desk? Are you the ones reading textbooks from 1999? Are you the ones with no pencils in the class? Are you the one with broken ceiling fixtures? Are you the ones with the teachers who are leaving the classrooms because they are going to get fired soon? Are you the one watching your program go away?” She told them that if they came to YOUNG meetings, maybe the students would not have to come to City Council every year. She ended by chanting, joined by the rest of the youth and their supporters, fists raised, walking out of the hall: “YOUTH UNITED WILL NEVER BE DEFEATED!”
Note: several people spoke prior to the student’s arrival, including Mike Heichman (9:10) of Dorchester, retired school teacher whose daughter graduated from Boston Arts Academy. He asked, “Why do most of our elected officials in Boston support policies that damage and hurt our children?”
