We are in a major fight to avert educational disaster. By including layoffs in his executive budget last week, Mayor Bloomberg has moved one step closer to implementing his threat to lay off thousands of teachers. We must stop these cuts, and so I urge each and every one of you to join me this Thursday, at 4 p.m. at City Hall to protest.
The city has a $3.2 billion surplus, but the mayor is unwilling to use $270 million of that to keep 4,278 teachers in the classroom. Just like Governor Walker in Wisconsin, Mayor Bloomberg is using budget woes as an excuse to pursue political ends. He wants to end seniority protections for teachers and undo collective bargaining rights, and he is willing to risk the education of our children to pursue his ideological goals.
And like the people of Wisconsin, who rose up in opposition to the governor’s agenda, we New Yorkers must rise up and fight back like never before.
The teacher layoffs are the most devastating part of Bloomberg’s budget, but they are not the only cuts. Child care cuts threaten working families. And there are other reductions as well. The only people who are not asked to sacrifice in the mayor’s budget are those who could actually afford to give back — Wall Street bankers and other millionaires.
On Thursday, UFT members will join with thousands of others from scores of community groups to say “Enough is enough” — the budget must not be balanced on the backs of middle-class families and our most vulnerable citizens. The banks and the millionaires must pay their fair share.
We will start at City Hall at 4 p.m. and then march down Broadway and through Wall Street.
We became teachers and educators to help children. That’s why we must be in streets demonstrating as well as in the classroom teaching. It is the only way we can protect our children, and our city, from the mayor’s draconian cuts.
I know I can count on UFT members to do whatever it takes. I’ll see you Thursday. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Michael Mulgrew
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