Dept. Of Ed's Kindergarten Moves Anger Parents Further

As if parents weren't upset enough over their children being wait-listed for kindergarten classes (at public schools TBD by the Dept. of Education), the DOE is rocking the boat further by considering to relocate prekindergarten programs from two popular West Villlage schools in order to increase the number of kindergarten classes. The NY Times reports, the DOE's well-intentioned "effort seemed to backfire, inflaming parents rather than placating them." Though the DOE says it's only thinking about the move, one parent says P.S. 3 told her that her son couldn't attend pre-K there because the program was cancelled, "They kicked the stool out from underneath me, and now I’m just hanging here. I put this all on Bloomberg." Another parent pointed out, "It still puts way too many kids in the same space and creates overcrowding in the older grades." City Council Speaker Christine Quinn hopes to meet with DOE officials to discuss the issue, "I have a real issue with solving the kindergarten problem at the expense of prekindergartners."

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By Jen Chung in News on May 6, 2009 8:52 AM

Comments [rss]

JacqueMehoff

and bloomberg's providing us with good jobs,

good jobs installing solar panels in brooklyn rooftops.

that's his 5 year plan. good jobs installing solar panels on brooklyn rooftops.

JacqueMehoff

too bad there's no such thing as Schoodos in bloomberg's mind.

SohoTimmy

You mean allowing all sorts of new condo buildings to be built might increase the need for more schools? I had no idea.

jibbly

Seriously, it's straight out of Sim City 101.

Jen S

Ok, so when the monster comes to town and stomps everything, we'll just remember this for the next city, New York 2, or New New York.

barryap

Don't worry, soon we'll all be liviing in arcologies.

barryap

Don't worry, soon we'll all be liviing in arcologies.

jibbly

Count me out if that means living in an enclosed space with Paulie Shore and Stephen Baldwin.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1457102080/tt0115683

Aaaaaaah!!!

Outter Burrougher

while pre-K is necessary for some children, isn't it more of a glorified pre-school/day-care?

hotstepper

exactly. and should not be funded by tax dollars. edjumacating kids for 13 years is quite enough. beyond that, cough up the coin yourself.

abcohen

so is this why American's are now about to rank 12th in education when compared to other countries?

we should have an education program for way more then 13 years... 15 or 16 (mandatory Jr. College along with a required Trade - instead of direct to college) that way we educate everyone in America - give them a skill set they can use.

As for the overcrowding in NYC school districts - they should just take over some of this newly empty office space in trade for tax credits.

hotstepper

parents are the first educators, not nannies, not day care, not pre-k (e.g. taxpayers). parents!

birth to age 5 is parental teaching. ages 5-18 is public school teaching. 18+ you're on your own baby!

laisla

Not placing a high value pre-k (which really only has large benefits to low income people) is not why we rank so low. It's because we do not value education, we do not want to work hard, we want all of the glory. On an anecdata level, my kid's school the American parents are the ones complaining about too much homework and pushing the kids too hard, while the parents from the highest ranking countries think it's too little and not enough. It shows how different the values are. It's a mindset thing.

While I disagree with the blanket solution of MORE school, I agree about office space. That would be a great solution.