You can buy her book “The Future of Tutoring” here.

Last year, 50CAN asked a national sample of parents if their child had received academic tutoring in the previous school year. The percentage of parents who said yes was quite clearly related to income: 35% of parents making more than $500,000 had a child in tutoring compared with only 15% of parents making less than $100,000. No real surprise here–tutoring is expensive!

Meanwhile, as many as 10,000 school districts launched tutoring initiatives between 2021 and 2024 as a response to pandemic-era school disruptions. But in most of those schools, the parents often had no idea their child was working with a tutor. Some school leaders told me they would tell parents about their tutoring program to ensure better attendance on tutoring days, but it was far from a consistent practice.

Part of what is compelling about the high-impact tutoring movement that emerged in the immediate post-pandemic years is that it allowed low-income students to access the kind of personalized academic support that their higher-income peers have leveraged for years. High-impact tutoring is when the tutoring takes place at least three times a week, for at least thirty minutes, with no more than four students working with a consistent adult. Ideally, what students work on in the tutoring sessions is connected to what they’re learning in the classroom, though there’s some flexibility, for example with early literacy and math skills. Technological advances are part of what’s made this possible, including the expansion of broadband internet and important evidence that virtual tutoring can be as effective as in-person tutoring. One-time federal funds certainly jumpstarted this trend, with tutoring the most common solution to learning loss adopted by schools. But even with thousands of schools trying out tutoring, too many students still don’t have access to the most effective academic intervention that exists.

When I started my research into the post-pandemic tutoring movement, the focus was on schools and districts that were investing time and resources to build tutoring programs inside the school day. That work is exciting, impactful, and continues even now. But one of the reasons why offering tutoring inside the school day is novel is because it allows students to participate who might otherwise never be able to access that kind of personalized academic support. As that 50CAN survey showed, parents who can afford it are paying for tutoring outside of school in high numbers. By 2022, more than 10,000 private tutoring centers were operating in the United States, primarily in high-income zip codes. When I recently interviewed Brown University economist Matt Kraft about the future of tutoring, he told me he hopes the future is that “we have democratized access to individualized instruction in a way that it’s not only available to families in the private market who can afford it.”

I couldn’t agree more with Kraft–democratizing access to individualized instruction is the real promise of tutoring, and precisely what, for example, the state of Louisiana is doing, both with their robust high-impact tutoring program currently serving more than 240,000 students and with the Steve Carter Tutoring program, which provides $1500 vouchers to eligible families to pay for out-of-school tutoring with approved providers. William Minton is the CEO and founder of Canopy Ed, one of the largest providers of Steve Carter-funded tutoring, serving almost 2,000 students last year. Canopy hires teachers to work as tutors, paying up to $60/hour, with the idea that teachers can build on existing relationships between families and schools. No teacher works with her own students, but with students from other classrooms, building more bonds between students, families, and the school as a whole.

Minton explained that payment also depends on students showing up to tutoring, not just signing up. One of the biggest challenges in high-impact tutoring programs is getting students the amount of tutoring (the dosage) required to yield results. Companies like Canopy mitigate this challenge by incentivizing the tutor to engage with families to ensure the students show up. Focusing on school partnerships also helps–instead of arranging a separate trip to a tutoring center, parents can simply come to school a bit later to collect their child. According to Minton, there are multiple beneficiaries to this program: the students who learn more and feel more engaged in learning, the families who feel empowered to procure tutoring for their child, the teachers who earn desirable additional income, and the entire community that benefits from the virtuous cycle of those first three wins. Would more states follow Louisiana’s lead? When we don’t offer the most effective tool we have to students who need help, it’s hard to imagine we ever truly change outcomes for all children. Districts like New York City may spend more than $30,000 per student on average, but does it matter if the average student isn’t learning all they should or could?

For parents wondering whether your child has access to publicly-funded high-quality tutoring, here are two questions to ask your school:

1. Do we have a high-impact tutoring program? If so, which students participate? Is my child eligible?

2. If my child isn’t eligible or we don’t have a high-impact tutoring program, what is your plan for ensuring my child is learning on grade level?

I’d love for every school to answer, “yes, we have high-impact tutoring!” But what’s even more critical is that each school has a plan for supporting every child to academic success. Too many schools have never been asked to articulate their instructional strategy; too many students languish in classrooms where teachers and principals simply hope what they’re doing works. The evidence behind high-impact tutoring, on the other hand, is significant. Students gain months of additional learning, attend school more regularly, and often become more engaged in their own learning. After a summer tutoring program in New Jersey, for example, 82% of students said they were more likely to now participate in their regular math class because of tutoring. That’s on top of the average four-month gain of additional learning that researchers found after analyzing 89 separate tutoring research studies.

In 1900, renowned education reformer John Dewey wrote that “what the best and wisest parent wants for his own child, that must the community want for all its children.” In 2025, what everyone wants is tutoring; let’s provide access for as many children as possible.

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Two weeks ago, I was proud to serve as the lead author on a new report from the University of Arkansas’s Department of Education Reform, exploring how families and schools are engaging with Arkansas’ Education Freedom Account (EFA) program.

The EFA is an education savings account (ESA) that allows families to receive public funds in a secure account to purchase approved educational items/services such as private school tuition, homeschool curriculum, tutoring, and school supplies.

Our report documents student participation, the amount of EFA funds spent on educational items, student test scores across a variety of assessments, parent satisfaction, and much more.

Arkansas’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program didn’t start out as universal — it was designed to phase in gradually over three years. Each year, more families became eligible, leading up to full access for all K–12 students this current school year (2025-26).

In its first year (2023–24), the program was open only to a limited group of disadvantaged student populations, such as those with disabilities, children in foster care or experiencing homelessness, students in the state’s earlier Succeed Scholarship Program (former Arkansas private school voucher program), and kids from F-rated public schools.

The next year (2024–25), eligibility widened to include students from D-rated schools, as well as children whose parents serve in the military reserves, law enforcement, or as first responders. Homeschoolers could also participate if they met any of these criteria. The EFA account value was $6,856 per student, and students previously on the Succeed Scholarship received a bit more — $7,618.

Now, in its third year, the EFA program phase-in is complete. Thus, every K–12 student in Arkansas is eligible to participate in the EFA program. The average EFA account value also increased to $6,994 per student.

Main Results

As eligibility widened between the first and second year, families jumped at the opportunity to participate. There were 14,256 active students who were participating at the end of the second year, up from 5,548 active students at the end of the first year. The majority of the students were enrolled in private schooling (10,834), and 3,422 students were homeschooling.

The implementation of the EFA program was very effective in targeting specific populations. Among EFA participants, 36% had a disability, 27% were first-time kindergartners, 16% were children of active-duty or military reserve parents, and 6% were in foster care.

By year two, families had plenty of ways to put their Education Freedom Account funds to use — everything from tuition and uniforms to tutoring, curricula, technology, transportation, and even college courses.

All told, families spent about $84.5 million through the program. Most of that went toward private school tuition and fees, which made up 81% of all spending. The rest was spread across supplies (8%), curriculum (4%), and homeschool tuition (4%).

Private school families used nearly all of their funds (97%) on tuition and fees. Homeschoolers spend 39% on supplies, 21% on curriculum, 21% on homeschool tuition, 8% on enrichment programs, and 5% on tutoring.

The Case for New York

New York families can choose from charter schools, G&T schools, or traditional public schools — but if they want to send their child to a private school, they’re on their own. The state offers no private school choice program or education savings account that would let low-income families use public funds to find the best fit for their children. In other words, educational freedom in New York is available only for the wealthy.

For some families, their public schools are serving them well, but for others, this may not be the case. New York spends about $36,293 per student, which is an increase of 21% since the 2020-21 school year. Imagine if a portion of those funds could be accessed by families to empower families to make the best choices for their children.

The appetite for ESAs is already there. Polling is showing that the majority of New York residents (including school parents) support ESAs and that ESAs should be available to all families. If we truly believe every child deserves an education that fits their needs, then it’s time for New York to act. Expanding educational freedom through ESAs would ensure that opportunity isn’t limited by income, zip code, or circumstance.

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In New York City, the largest number of available seats at public Gifted & Talented programs are in Kindergarten. Students may apply for first, second, third, and sometimes fourth grade entry, but placement depends on attrition. Some schools may only have a handful of open slots while the most popular remain full and closed to newcomers.

Zohran Mamdani, Democratic nominee for NYC Mayor, announced he would do away with the Kindergarten entry point in the interest of equity. He’s left the door open for a third grade assessment and placement.

While Kindergarten is a student’s best chance to access NYC’s five accelerated, citywide schools or one of the district programs, there’s also the recently created “Top Performers” track where those in the top 10 percent of their schools in second grade can transfer to third through fifth grade G&T classes.

Here’s the problem: No matter the selection method, NYC doesn’t have enough seats to accommodate all the children they’ve deemed “gifted.”

When NYC tested for admission into Kindergarten G&T, about 4,000 children qualified for around 2,000 spots.

When they switched to teacher identification, over 9,000 qualified for about 2,500 spots.

When grades were utilized to accept into first through third grade G&T, all those with 3’s and 4’s on their report cards were deemed eligible. If that’s the formula for Mamdani’s proposed third grade entry, 60 percent of students, 42,000 out of 70,000, would qualify. If we go with teacher recommendations, then following current trends, 85 percent, 59,500 would qualify.

Even if we opt for the more limited, across the board top 10 percent approach, that would still mean 7,000 applicants competing for 2,500 openings. 4,500 kids would remain left out of advanced-level education.

To accommodate everyone at third grade entry, the existing G&T system would need to be drastically expanded, including new spaces and certified teachers – both already limited due to the class size mandate.

The reality is that in NYC, not all students receive an equally excellent education no matter where they’re enrolled.

NYC schools vary widely in quality, ranging from ones where nearly everyone graduates college-ready to those where not a single student is performing at grade level.

Yet, even at the latter, many students are earning 3’s and 4’s on their report card.

Which is where a third grade entry G&T program hits its second snag.

Kids starting G&T in Kindergarten are exposed to challenging material straightaway. Bringing together thousands of new students to start an “accelerated” curriculum in 3rd grade would mean combining kids at different levels of preparation (an “A” in one school isn’t the same as an “A” in another) and basically forcing a large proportion of them to essentially skip a grade.

This will not set many up for success, especially those coming from lower-performing schools. Just because they’ve shown the capacity for doing more challenging work doesn’t mean they’ve been exposed to it and/or provided with the necessary foundational knowledge.

In 2022, I traced the number of minority students in specialized high schools dropping after G&T and honors middle school programs were removed in underserved neighborhoods. In order to be placed in accelerated classes in higher grades, students need access to accelerated material in lower ones.

Mamdani is right. There aren’t enough opportunities for underserved students to access high quality curriculum and instruction. But the solution to that cannot possibly be fewer such programs. It has to be more of them.

How can fewer years spent in an accelerated requirement – which is what would happen if G&T were to only commence in third grade – be better than more such years? Shouldn’t it be that the earlier NYC starts offering a more rigorous curriculum to more students, the better?

For nearly two decades, I’ve asked the Department of Education: If they believe students identified as “gifted” (no matter the screening method) warrant a separate educational environment in a Gifted & Talented classroom, how can they justify offering such a classroom to only some of their “gifted” students?

If we were talking about students with special needs, only offering services to some (via lottery, no less!) would be a violation of Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).

Whether it’s Mamdani talking about NYC or any other US school district, he’s not wrong saying there aren’t enough minority students in America’s gifted programs, and that those students are not receiving an education on par with their abilities.

But the obvious solution is to create more opportunities for advanced work, not less, and to make those opportunities available as early as possible, so fewer children are at risk of falling behind from the start and never catching up.

Alina Adams is the author of “Getting into NYC Kindergarten” and “Getting into NYC High School,” and a school admissions consultant. She writes about education – and a whole lot more – at Alina’s Susbtack Newsletter.

Below is a letter that Professor Solomon and others wrote to Commissioner Rosa.

You can find the original letter with all the footnotes here.

You can sign their petition to withdraw the Math Briefs here.

You can listen to his podcast with mathematician Dr. Anna Stokke talking about this issue here.

Dear Commissioner Rosa,

We, a diverse group of both local and international educational leaders, educators, and researchers, were initially pleased to learn of New York’s new math initiative. Math proficiency is the entry point to vocational and post-secondary career opportunities and enables a healthy thriving workforce that fuels the economy of our state. We bear the moral responsibility to equip all children with mathematical knowledge to give them access to their future lives. By promoting research-based teaching methods, we can close opportunity gaps in student achievement while raising achievement for all students and ensuring the competitive vitality of our state for the businesses of the future.

It is deeply concerning, however, that the recently released New York math briefs are critically flawed. This letter outlines serious concerns regarding grave omissions and inaccuracies in the New York math briefs in summarizing what’s purported to be evidence-based math instruction. Given the detrimental impact on New York’s youth, we are calling for a retraction of the New York math briefs. We request that they be replaced with materials that are accurate and based on evidence from rigorous empirical studies. Given recent national attention to student literacy, we are concerned that the briefs inexplicably reinforce several of the exact myths dispelled in the Science of Reading.

Omitted findings include the results of rigorous empirical studies, such as those funded through competitive federal grant competitions. Conclusions from these experimental studies, including randomized control trials, are public and synthesized in a series of What Works Clearinghouse best practice guides, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel and Project Follow Through. The recommendations also conflict with extant published NYSED guidance and policy, in addition to nationally recognized action and policy non-profit centers, such as the National Center for Intensive Intervention and the IRIS center. Oddly, the briefs give passing reference to the What Works Clearinghouse (Briefs 7 and 8) and the National Center for Intensive Intervention (Brief 8) without enumerating on how recommendations from those works conflict with recommendations in the briefs.

Despite the conspicuous use of the word “science,” the briefs collectively cite only 2 experimental studies and 2 meta-analyses. Where peer-reviewed research is cited, it is overwhelmingly articles reflecting personal experiences and opinions (i.e., not experimental). There is an enormous body of rigorous randomized control trials and single-case experimental studies which converge on evidence-based instructional

strategies for teaching math which are overlooked in the briefs. For example, Powell and colleagues identified 9 rigorous peer-reviewed meta-analyses, encompassing hundreds of peer-reviewed studies, focused on students at-risk for math difficulties, which unfortunately is most students in this country.

Factual inaccuracies in the New York Math briefs

Factual inaccuracies in the briefs are shockingly abundant. We select the most prominent errors to expand upon below.

● The myth of math anxiety and timed testing being a cause of math anxiety (Brief 2). Research shows that brief timed tests do not cause math anxiety (Binder, 1996; Codding et al., 2023). In fact, these brief assessments, commonly falling under the umbrella of curriculum-based measurement, are the basis for universal academic screening (unmentioned in brief 5, assessment, and briefly mentioned without context in brief 8) which is required in most states as it allows schools to identify patterns of risk and individual student risk to facilitate mid-course instructional corrections at the program and individual to prevent academic failure. Advising teachers to minimize the use of brief timed tests is entirely antithetical to Response to Intervention and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). A MTSS pilot project has been thriving in NY for nearly five years and Response to Intervention is mandated in New York.

● The myth of explicit instruction (or direct instruction) being a selective instructional strategy, mostly useful for the disabled (Brief 2, 4, 7). A definition of explicit instruction is, “a group of research-supported instructional behaviors used to design and deliver instruction that provides needed supports for successful learning through clarity of language and purpose, and reduction of cognitive load. It promotes active student engagement by requiring frequent and varied responses followed by appropriate affirmative and corrective feedback and assists long-term retention through use of purposeful practice strategies.” (p. 143; Hughes et al., 2017). Abundant research has shown explicit instruction is vital for all students to acquire basic skills and must be used in abundance when teaching new material and skills (VanDerHeyden et al., 2012; Fuchs et al., 2012; 2023, Clarke et al., 2015; Stockard et al., 2018; WWC practice guides). Contrary to the brief’s opinion that direct instruction (a synonym for explicit instruction) is for “empty vessels,” it has been shown highly effective in laboratory and classroom settings to promote efficient learning and reduce anxiety with difficult content (Stockard et al., 2018; WWC practice guides). It is the foundational teaching approach embodied by the Science of Reading (Petscher et al., 2020) and the caricature of it in the NY brief is stunning

given that it has been shown to produce the highest level of academic engagement among learners and the most rapid mastery of new concepts which then enables creative and generative problem solving (Johnson & Layng, 1992). What is critical to understand is that we have been here before. In reading, the philosophy driven tactics (whole language) that were promoted undermined the explicit teaching of reading in the same way. To make this same mistake in math is a travesty and will harm our students.

● The myth that structured repeated practice of math facts and standard algorithms isn’t useful (Brief 2, 3, Brief 7). Research has revealed the critical importance of being able to quickly recall both whole number math facts (e.g., subtraction from 18) and procedural problem-solving strategies (e.g., application of standard algorithm to 2x2 addition; solving for x; Fuchs et al., 2013; 2023; Hartman et a.l., 2023; McNeil et al, 2025; Stockard et al., 2018, VanDerHeyden et al., 2012; Rosenshine, 2012). These facts must be explicitly taught and students given ample structured practice such that they can demonstrate agile fact recall on timed assessments prior to generalizing concepts and skills to novel situations. A chronic problem with American curriculum is not that they overrepresent the practice of facts and algorithms (Brief 7), but that they offer far too little practice. All complex mathematical problem solving can be explained as the mastery of simpler operations and concepts. For example, one grade 8 expectation is solving algebraic proportions with a missing number in any position. This is endlessly useful to students in creating and converting quantities. Solving algebraic proportions cannot be learned if children have not mastered all the skills that are prerequisite, which paints a picture of the devastating cumulative effect of undermining early math mastery year over year (see figure below). The methods in the NY briefs diminish the critical importance of mastering and performing fluently or automatically all the foundational skills that build advanced math performance during primary and secondary education in math.

● The myth that discovery learning should be prioritized in early stages of acquisition (Brief 2, 4, 7). Discovery learning is discussed repeatedly but left undefined in the briefs. It is defined elsewhere as “an instructional method that encourages students to build their own understanding by exploring, manipulating, and experimenting, rather than being told or shown information directly” (Mayer, 2004). Discovery learning, often characterized as “applied” learning, exploration, or as experimentation is useful in building interest and connecting student’s foundational skills to real-world problems. However, it is likely only useful after students have demonstrated high levels of fluency on underlying skills (Hartman et al., 2023; Kirschner et al., 2006; WWC practice guides; McNeil et al., 2025). And interestingly, the claim of greater student interest, motivation, or engagement has not been experimentally supported, whereas children are typically highly engaged in explicit instruction. In fact, the defining feature of explicit instruction is a very high rate of opportunities to respond, meaning all students are eager and capable of responding accurately, with task difficulty advancing in tandem with measured learning gains. This is why “systematic instruction” is identified as a necessary ingredient of math instruction by the Institute for Educational Science 2009 practice guide, which is contradicted by the NY math briefs. Discovery learning is important, but it should occur for mastered concepts and skills according to the science of how humans learn, not when a new skill is being introduced as suggested by the NY briefs.

We are calling for a retraction of the New York math briefs. We urge that they be replaced with accurate materials informed by the most reliable evidence. We believe this is critical to improving math achievement amongst New York’s youth. The undersigned are happy to provide guidance or recommend others knowledgeable in this area. Our sole goal is for students in New York to receive sound evidence-based instruction so they can thrive into adulthood and support New York’s competitiveness in STEAM-related areas.

Respectfully,

- Signatories Attached

Sign the letter

Dr. Benjamin Solomon is an associate professor of School Psychology at the University at Albany. His research areas include academic assessment and intervention, especially for math, research methods and statistics, and multi-tiered systems of support. He is a strong advocate for the use of evidence-based practice and the science of learning in schools. He sits on the advisory board for several technical assistance centers and peer-reviewed journals. He is the former director of New York’s Technical Assistance Center for Academics, which works closely with the state’s educational department to promote best practice in academic assessment and instruction for students with disabilities.

I am excited to share this guest post by . Jennifer is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst–Doctoral (BCBA-D), educator, and consultant. She is also the author of the report “The Cost of Restorative Justice in New York City Schools” and writes the Substack .

New York City now spends more than a billion dollars a year reimbursing families for special education services. According to the New York City Comptroller, DOE spending on special education due process reimbursements soared from $161 million in 2012 to $918 million in 2022, reaching $1 billion by 2023. In a separate analysis, the Comptroller’s most recent Course Correction report found that in FY 2024 alone, the city paid out more than $416 million in special education settlements, the single largest category of law claim payouts.

When a child in New York City needs special education, such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, a smaller class, or a specialized school, the Department of Education is legally required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)  to provide it. If those services are not given, families can file for a due process hearing, which leads to a legal hearing before an impartial officer to enforce their child’s rights.  If parents win, the city must either pay for private school tuition, known as a “Carter Case” (after the 1993 Supreme Court ruling), or reimburse families for arranging services and schooling themselves.  

These costs mainly come from Carter Cases, where families receive reimbursement after DOE fails to provide required services. Chalkbeat recently reported that the city has already spent millions on compliance efforts, including audits and a federally appointed court monitor, yet families are still left fighting for basic support. 

Two years after the federal court’s order, New York City has little to show for the millions already poured into compliance. Despite spending more than $63 million on compliance efforts, audits, and a federally appointed court monitor, families still wait months or years for services. Less than half the reforms have been completed. Families are still waiting on basics like timely payments, confirmations that services are delivered, and a way to track their cases. The funding is not being used effectively. Until DOE shifts from managing compliance to providing services, students will continue to pay the highest price, and the cycle of lawsuits and reimbursements will continue.

In July 2023, a federal judge in L.V. v. New York City Department of Education ordered the city to carry out 51 reforms to fix its broken system for providing special education services. Two years later, just 21 of those reforms have been implemented, leaving many deadlines unmet. According to independent audits reported by Chalkbeat, only 9.5% of service orders and 1% of payment orders were completed on time in the months after the court order. 

Recently, at the May 2025 budget hearing, City Council Education Chair Rita Joseph pressed DOE officials about skyrocketing Carter Case costs. At this hearing, the DOE officials admitted spending had already surpassed $1.2 billion in the 2024 fiscal year, with the 2025 budget needing $1.3 billion. DOE officials blamed rising per-student costs now averaging $150,000 per placement, even as they highlighted new autism programs. Those initiatives do not change the underlying reality that families are turning to due process because the city continues to deny or delay services in the first place.

The scale of Carter Case spending shows how reactive the system has become. Instead of providing services when children need them, DOE waits until families have no choice but to file legal claims. By then, months or even years of learning time are lost. That cycle wastes money, ruins trust with families, and forces parents into private placements, because the city has left them without options.  A preventative approach, delivering supports up front, would keep more children in their classrooms and reduce costly court battles 

Part of prevention also means getting classification right the first time. Nearly 20% of NYC public school students are classified with a disability.  This rate should raise some alarm about system-wide inconsistencies. The representation also varies by race and neighborhood, indicating an overburdened system that risks both over- and under-identifying students. A better system would ensure accurate, timely decisions so services go to the students who need them most, before families are forced into hearings.

The court order laid out dozens of basic fixes that could have made the system work.  Some of these orders included a hotline for families to call, automatic email notifications when their child’s case moved forward, and a web-based portal to track their status. Providers were supposed to be paid on time, so more therapists would stay in the system. DOE was even ordered to confirm that students received the services or placements they had won in hearings, the most fundamental measure of accountability. Yet two years later, most of these steps remain undone.

Each unmet obligation shows the same pattern: New York City reacts only after families sue. The DOE continues to leave parents in the dark, drive providers away, and let court cases pile up. The reforms are common-sense safeguards. If implemented, they would move the city out of a reactive mode and into prevention, saving both taxpayer dollars and children’s futures.

Some reforms would have an immediate impact if DOE prioritized them this fall. The most urgent are fixing the broken payment process, so therapists and service providers don’t quit working with the city. Additionally, creating a simple system to confirm that children receive the services and placements they are supposed to receive is also a priority. Without these steps, families may win hearings but still lose months of learning, as delayed payments drive providers out and force families back into litigation. Other reforms, such as publishing a public dashboard and launching parent-facing status trackers, are essential for long-term accountability and transparency. These commitments are already years overdue, and DOE should make them a top priority rather than allowing another school year to slip by because every semester lost to delay is instructional time children can never regain.

New York cannot afford to keep treating special education as a matter for lawyers and auditors while children wait. Every Carter Case is evidence that the system failed a child. The billions spent on reimbursements could instead fund therapists, smaller classes, and specialized programs inside public schools. Prevention also means getting classification right the first time, so children who truly need special education are supported quickly, while others aren’t misidentified and left without appropriate instruction. Until the DOE shifts from reaction to prevention, New York will keep wasting money, and children will keep losing years they cannot get back.

What I am reading this week

• The Southern Surge in Education (National Review)

• An East Side NYC elementary school is seen as a model. So why are teachers leaving so often? (Daily News)

• ‘Worst nightmare’: NYC teacher’s aide arraigned on child porn charges (PIX11)

• There’s Too Much Doom and Gloom in the Classroom (National Review)

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NYC is home to some of the best schools in the country – including internationally recognized high schools like Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and LaGuardia School of the Arts – but the tragic fact remains that little more than 50 percent of seniors graduate college ready. There are elementary, middle and high schools where not a single child is performing at grade level.

Other than a handful of exceptions, acceptance to most NYC public schools is lottery-based. A student who’s been declared “gifted” and/or with all A’s on their report card might still be placed at a school levels below them academically. 

For those with lottery numbers that doom them to a failing school, alternatives are limited. One parent groused, “Public schools suck and private schools are outrageously expensive!”

There is, however, an in-between option: Catholic and Christian (often Jesuit) schools.

These schools have long been a safe haven for non-Christian families. A Hindu mom told me, “I went to a Christian-ish school in India. My mother and grandmother went to Catholic schools. We all remain scrupulously observant Hindus.”

One key appeal is that Catholic and Christian schools are not as expensive as NYC’s independent schools – costing in the area of $20,000 a year versus $65,000 – and offer merit scholarships on top of that. They are also more traditional in their approach to education.

“The ethos of the Jesuit schools is AMDG – men for others, go out and set the world on fire,” Manhattan mom Janie Hwang shared. “As a Buddhist, this sounded hokey, but the school community weaves this philosophy through its curriculum, sports programs and service missions. This creates a strong identity, a sense of community, and a straightforward curriculum.”

Jewish parents, however, have been historically reluctant to send their children to Christian or Catholic schools. Even when public school academics were substandard, even when private school price tags were steep, they’d still try to wrangle an education without resorting to non-Jewish, faith-based schools.

Such accounts weren’t limited to a single school or teacher. I heard from parents about educators who marched through their classrooms, chanting, “Israel is going to get what they deserve,” of swastikas carved into walls and desks, of teachers wearing keffiyehs to class and organizing walk-outs and field trips to anti-Israel protests while principals threw up their hands and designated it all self-expression, thus out of their control.

The sense that, as a Jewish family, they felt more comfortable in a Catholic or Christian school than in a public one, was a theme I heard over and over again.

“After nine years as a public school parent, it was a not so difficult decision to pull both my children out of public schools and send them to classical, parochial schools,” said Natalya Murakhver, founder of the parent advocacy organization Restore Childhood. “The year that followed Oct. 7 exposed so much Illiberalism and antisemitism in our public schools. There was an attitude of moral equivalence from school administrators – between the Hamas massacre in Israel and Israel's war of self-defense and hostage extrication that followed. The attitude was even worse at the upper levels of the DOE, especially with former schools chancellor Banks, who would not even mention antisemitism without attaching it to Islamophobia, even in very clear situations like the Queens high school where the students hunted the teacher and Origins High School where the same nearly happened again. At my daughter’s Catholic school, we found a welcoming environment for students of diverse faiths. Over the summer, all students were required to read a book about the Holocaust.” 

“For the first time, I finally felt like my family really belongs here at this school,” said an East Village mother who only wanted to be identified as Sarah. “I never felt that sense of home in the public schools. The religion classes at my son's Jesuit school are really philosophy classes. They encourage each student to explore and describe their own relationship to a higher power. Various books are assigned to encourage discussions around moral and ethical topics. I was very happy to see that Viktor E. Frankl's book, “Man's Search for Meaning,” about finding a source of strength to survive while in a Nazi death camp, was assigned reading. I remember touring the history room at Xavier and there was a poster up with the JFK quote, "Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future." I'm a Jewish mother who's so grateful for the Jesuit education of my son. Who knew!”

Some parents even saw an advantage in their choice. Alessia S. reasoned that sending her son to St. Peter’s Prep would help him with “learning about Christianity in depth, which will bring a different perspective to his Judaism,” as well as offer a lesson in resilience. “Being a minority student in the majority environment can help develop leadership skills (e.g. becoming the editor of the Jewish publication), as well as teach the student to adjust.”

“We hope that by sharing our experience,” added the Sutton Place mom, “We can encourage other families like ours to consider Catholic or other faith-based schools as supportive and inclusive environments for all students.”

Alina Adams is the author of “Getting into NYC Kindergarten” and “Getting into NYC High School,” and a school admissions consultant. She writes about education – and a whole lot more – at Alina’s Susbtack Newsletter.

But what you won’t hear from those “equity” advocates is even more important - the actual cause of the problem. These “equity” advocates will blame the SHSAT and proclaim it is racist and discriminatory. They play the race card because they lack any convincing argument and by doing so it’s far easier to mislead the many uninformed parents, advocates, and elected officials.

These advocates won’t mention how they advocate for lower standards and expectations for Black and Hispanic students and then complain about lower outcomes. They need Black and Hispanic students to remain low performing to reinforce their racism narrative. Most importantly, it keeps attention on themselves and enables them to continue to receive funding that keeps them in their self-created positions of power and influence.

They also won’t talk about the widely known secret - every year as many as 1,500 of the higher performing Black and Hispanic NYC public school students are recruited by the ~500 NYC/tri-state area private, religious or boarding schools which offer a more rigorous education and learning environment. This recruitment is often done with the assistance of the local public-school administrators and teachers.

This month the NYC Public Schools (NYCPS aka NYC DOE) published the results of their Enrollment Survey. Parents were allowed to select 3 reasons why their child was no longer enrolled in a NYC public school. A startling 41% responded that they wanted a more rigorous education than possible in NYCPS, while 40% stated they moved out of NYC. Clearly families are fleeing NYC and its public schools in search of more rigorous education.

Source: NYCPS April 2025 Enrollment Survey

However, “experts” and the “equity” advocates claim these survey results offer little useful information since the response rate was only 3%. In truth, it’s because the data doesn’t support their preferred narrative. They also fail to mention that 46% of respondents were Black or Hispanic, and an additional 8% were bi-racial.

Despite this information NYCPS continues to focus on initiatives that won’t lead to more rigorous education such as smaller class size. Almost half of public-school classrooms were already below the smaller class size cap, most for many years, AND most of those classrooms are low performing and in low performing schools. In truth, smaller class size, while sounding nice, doesn’t automatically improve students’ performance.

Meanwhile, in many higher performing schools most classrooms have been well above the cap for many years. The primary beneficiary of smaller class size will be the UFT. There will be more teachers paying union dues, and because of UFT rules, new inexperienced (and rubber room) teachers will get placed in lower performing schools.

Smaller class sizes will only reduce the number of available seats in high demand schools that offer quality rigorous education. This will cause more families to leave NYCPS in search of better educational opportunities for their kids.

Parents also want leaders who will represent them and advocate for high quality rigorous education. Right now, the Citywide and Community Education Council elections for parent representatives is underway through May 13^th. NYC public school parents will once again be voting for parent leaders who will listen to them.

Lucas Liu is a former NYC public school parent, former CEC 3 President and Co-Founder of Parent Leaders for Accelerated Curriculum and Education (PLACE)

This article was first published in the One City Rising April newsletter.

FFNY: You were elected Co-President of PLACE, how and why did you get involved with education policy and advocacy?

LISA: While I’ve always been involved in the field of education, first as a NYC high school teacher of History in Title 1 schools in Brooklyn and the Bronx, then as a mom to three public school students, I became involved in education advocacy during the pandemic when policy decisions were being made that negatively impacted students.

Our family experienced the devastating effects of school closures and I saw first hand the gaps in the curriculum students were given for literacy, math and science. I wanted to help kids get back on track with strong foundational skills in reading, logical reasoning and critical thinking that would set them up for successful future careers.

I also want to help parents navigate the complex DOE system so they can best advocate for the needs of their children.

FFNY: You used to be a teacher in NYC, what did you teach and how did this experience influence your work at PLACE?

LISA: Growing up I was always interested in history and world civilizations. After getting a Masters in Classical Archaeology I knew I wanted to bring history to life for students. Thru Teach for America I got a Masters in Secondary Education and taught Global History at schools in Crown Heights and the South Bronx. I enjoy working with young people because they have a spark of curiosity, even if they sometimes also have difficult backgrounds. My unwavering belief is that all kids can master rigorous material, if they are challenged and supported to do so. In my classroom students put in the work and rose to the occasion, making incredible educational gains on state tests and surpassing personal benchmarks. In 2012, I was named Teacher of the Year at my school.

My time as a DOE teacher gives me insight into how NYCPS is structured and run.  I have experience productively collaborating with administrators and fellow teachers to improve student outcomes. My background influences my advocacy with PLACE because I understand the challenge of balancing a wide variety of student learning needs with appropriate curriculum and policy decisions. To ensure students excel, the largest public school system in the nation needs to simultaneously hold standards high while also being adaptive to parent voices and student needs at the school level. 

FFNY: You are a born and raised New Yorker. What do you love most about the city and what do you want to see changing?

LISA: What I love about NYC is the vibrant diversity of cultures! I love learning and collaborating with people from all over the world, as each pursues their area of expertise. Every New Yorker has a hidden talent and a passion to share with others!

What I would like to see change, and what I hope to support in my work with PLACE, is for more parents in all neighborhoods to engage with policymakers and make their voices heard. Right now, I think there is a big disconnect between what the average New Yorker wants and what elected representatives are proposing. That needs to change. 

We are a city of innovators, who’ve chosen NYC as our home with the common goal of creating a better life for our communities and for the next generation. What brings us all together as New Yorkers is our pursuit of the American dream. A strong and robust education is a critical part of turning that dream into a reality.

We talked about “kids being kids” and enjoying all the wonderful things our public schools have to offer. I would like to talk to you about “teenagers being teenagers”.  

Tonight, we heard eloquent testimonies from parents who highlighted the dangers of the Class Size mandate. On February 14, the CCHS passed a Resolution calling the State Legislature to urgently amend the Class Size Law to focus its implementation on lower grades and to later phase in High Schools. The impetus for this resolution was the CCHS’ careful analysis of data pertaining to enrollment and occupancy of high schools, as well as the ongoing dialogues the CCHS maintains with families, school administrators, and with the Office of Student Enrollment. I would like to give you just two key takeaways from this resolution. 

FIRST, forcing small classes on high schools in NYC will have devastating consequences for these high schools which principals are assessing right now – by redirecting funds from special programs, electives and Advanced Placement classes towards core subjects. These special programs are why the high schools are popular and why the students are motivated and challenged in the first place… We have over 400 high schools with 700 different programs in NYC, and this Class Size mandate will destroy the unique character of each school. 

SECOND, there will also be devastating consequences in terms of educational choices  and quality of life for those students and their families. In highly sought-after programs, such as specialized high schools, performing arts schools, academically accelerated schools, as well as in zoned schools, enrollment will need to be drastically capped. Drastically means a reduction of 20 to 30% of the seats, possibly more in overcrowded schools, in order to comply with the mandate. And because of school overcrowding, particularly in Queens, this means increased travel time for our students. Teenagers need sleep!

The cost associated with implementing the mandate for high schools is enormous. What is particularly troublesome is that the mandate will result in a transfer of money towards schools and students who are already generally wealthier and show better performance – higher Regents’ passing grades, higher attendance, higher percentage of college attendance – and away from schools and students with higher economic need. We have heard it very clearly from the parents from East New York, Brownsville and BedStuy who testified tonight. How is this equitable? 

I urge the City Council to look beyond the catch phrase that “small class size is good” and to focus on data and facts. I urge City Council to talk to the Citywide Council on High Schools, to NYCPS, and most importantly, to talk to school administrators. Dr. David Marmor, who co-chaired the Class Size Working Group, is the principal of the second largest High School in NYC, is one of these administrators, the ones who have their “boots on the ground” and understand our high schools better than anyone else. 

I urge you to work with the State Legislature to amend the law before we cause irreversible damage to our public High Schools and their communities in NYC. 

Thank you.

Additional Resources

Recommendations for a more equitable and realistic implementation of the Class Size Law

Discover the detail around the “math” behind the Class Size mandate and why it doesn’t work.

PolicyCity CouncilNew York City

Team F4NY

Sasha’s Story

Our daughter Sasha celebrated her 14th birthday on November 7, 2023. Everyone was shocked when her devastated family announced her death one month and one day later, and the same question was in everyone's mind: How did this young, beautiful, healthy child die? 

We, her family, are ready to speak about what happened. We hope that our honesty will help save lives. But it is important for us to let you know that...

Sasha was intelligent: she had just started her first year in one of the best high schools in the country.

Sasha was kind. She deeply cared about animals and people, especially those mistreated, abused, or who didn't have a home. She even wrote a letter to the White House about the homelessness issue and received a response from the Biden Administration. Sasha proudly displayed her acknowledgment letter on her desk.

Sasha was good at sports. In elementary school, she was involved in gymnastics and track and field, and all coaches saw her potential when she played basketball and volleyball in middle school. She was a strong swimmer and diver; by her 11th birthday, she had already received a PADI Open Water certificate.

Sasha was sweet-natured - her friends loved her. She was attractive, likable, and an all-around fantastic individual. She was like a ray of sunshine to many people because of her caring, easy-going personality and contagious smile. 

Her sudden death completely crushed her community and our family. Her father, mother, and older sister are left with broken hearts. Thankfully, we have beautiful memories and thousands of amazing photos showing our love. We did our best to cherish our girl's sweet spirit and nurture her body and mind. Every summer, our family traveled and went on unforgettable adventures worldwide. We watched movies and listened to music together. Inspired by her dad's musical taste, she introduced many of her peers to the Beatles and other classic rock musicians and bands. 

Sasha was full of energy and light. However, sometime after she turned 13, we started to notice what we thought were normal adolescent hormones and individual tendencies: awkwardness, moodiness, and apathy. 

We thought it was just a stage of development, but now we know it was something else entirely. 

Around February 2023, she started hanging out with a new group of peers. We knew their names, Sasha showed their photos and shared some stories, and they seemed safe enough; we trusted our daughter's judgment of people - she never gave a reason not to.  They became closer, she started seeing these people more often…and something went awry. Unbeknownst to us, our daughter was dragged into experimenting with substances. Now, we know that she started experimenting with vapes, alcohol, and marijuana, but we will never find out why she fell under the spell and how her so-called friends talked her into taking the last step toward the abyss. Not long before her death, a "friend" gave her morphine, and she got hooked right away. Her new adventure lasted for about a week until she received a dose laced with fentanyl. She had zero tolerance for the strength of this deadly substance, which is 50-100 times stronger than heroin. She didn't want to die. She didn't know she would.

The worst thing is to admit that no one in the family noticed what she was up to all this time. We had zero reasons to be suspicious. Sasha hid it well: she had good grades, completed homework, and came home on time. She was a hard worker and, on Saturdays, spent almost all day at City College taking a class for extra credit. 

 We were only concerned about her losing interest in schoolwork and extracurriculars, but we attributed it to a transition period from middle to high school. The transition wasn't easy, so we decided to loosen the reins and be easier on her. When she asked permission to hang out with friends after school or on the weekends, we let her. We thought socializing was better than being on her phone. We weren't happy about her social media use, but we gave up fighting about it because she claimed she needed it to stay "in the loop". 

Sasha was a normal teenager, moody, but still sweet and loving, so when her mom found her dead on the couch in the living room, the last thing she was thinking of was drugs.

 We, her family, still cannot believe she is not here with us. We wish someone had alerted us about her dangerous activities, but of those who knew what she was doing, no one came forward.

 We cry every day and still ask ourselves, "WHY?!". It didn't occur to us that a 14-year-old child from a well-rounded family could have been lured into this trap. We had NO IDEA that drug use is rampant in schools EVERYWHERE in NYC. 

Now, after talking to many teenagers, it seems to us that an average child has already been exposed to or tried marijuana or alcohol starting as early as the beginning of middle school. We were told that for kids in high school, it is easy to find dealers who sell opioids. Dealers hang out around schools; they advertise substances on social media and distribute flyers. Drug dealers can also be our children's peers, classmates, and friends. They intend to put more people on drugs and make profits. Teenagers are teenagers; they are rebellious and curious. They play with fire. They want to be "cool". Social media, such as TikTok, provides plenty of cool role models, and many send the wrong messages to underage audiences. Teenagers share videos where drinking, vaping, smoking, and taking pills are normalized. We partially blame TikTok for losing our daughter; we believe that her social media use played a role in her downfall.

 However, TikTok didn't kill Sasha. Fentanyl did. Unfortunately, we have never paid attention, but it's been in the news for a while now: this synthetic drug kills at an alarming rate; more victims are now in their early teens. We are outraged that schools leave parents in the dark and do not do more to address the issue of substance use among teenagers, and politicians do not make the Fentanyl crisis their top agenda. We are horrified to hear from the police that they are aware of the drug distribution around schools but cannot do much because of budget cuts.

Sasha did not deserve to die like this. She was a 14-year-old who fell into a rabbit hole misguided by the wrong people and TikTok influence. She made a mistake, but she could have had a second chance if not for Fentanyl.

 This is an EPIDEMIC. The world united when it was COVID; the time has come to come together and fight against Fentanyl.

 We aim to raise awareness and encourage school officials and politicians to take more drastic steps to protect our children. 

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I write this as crowds of young people line York Avenue in a slow-moving protest from downtown New York to Gracie Mansion, stopping along the way to taunt individuals and institutions tied in any even attenuated way to Israel with accusations of genocide. Like Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

These protests have become a regular event in New York City, and they worry me. Though, in fairness, I worry a lot. I am a Jewish mother, a lawyer, a New Yorker. I worry as a profession and personal hobby. Still, I am particularly worried that these protests herald a dangerous future.

Hate Spread Via Catchy Slogans

Many protestors shout inflammatory slogans – pithy and rhyming, but overly simplistic. The notion that these young people are uniquely capable of seeing the truth of a generations-long conflict, and can reduce it to a slogan that encompasses its full weight and breadth, suggests the extreme egoism of a smug cadre, confident in its moral and intellectual superiority.

But these slogans require the avoidance of deep thinking and demand intolerance of contrary views. Slogans make things easy. Nuance is harder. And so, my worry? I worry that these young people do not understand the implications of their words. I worry that they fail to see the complexity of the issues upon which they profess to be experts. And I worry that it is our education system that has failed to send critical thinkers into the world.

Back to Core Beliefs

Emet might be a salve for that worry. Its website announces that it will focus on the “core ideas and texts of Western civilization” with a goal to “train students in the best a classical Western education has to offer, from grammar and rhetoric to high-level math and science.” All this, says Emet, to “forge citizens who will strengthen American civic life and make great contributions to the human endeavor.”

This language is a radical departure from the more progressive ethos that has come to define New York City schools. Where a classical education emphasizes foundations in classical texts and a mastery over a range of disciplines, progressive education embraces a philosophy that prizes a student’s choice and creativity above all else. Gone are the days of reading great books and practicing penmanship.

Many schools no longer teach primary texts or demand that students have foundational understanding of basic disciplines. And so, when progressive educators offer choice and creativity to students before first introducing them to the full spectrum of learning, “choice” and “creativity” are illusory. “Make a choice,” is the message, “get creative and find a passion,” even at the expense of expertise. Students write essays before they can diagram a sentence. They form social justice groups without learning about the Civil Rights Movement. Compounded through the years, this philosophy has eroded academic standards. It has also encouraged the kind of slogan wielding that so frightens me.

Importance of Different World Views

Over the last ten years, many progressive educators decided that the same students who had been wise and empowered enough to control their education, were suddenly too fragile to be challenged on their views. Uncomfortable histories were rewritten. Classic novels carried trigger warnings or were outright banned. Ever younger students were pushed to take on the mantel of social justice without the scaffolding of a comprehensive education, all the while being shielded from viewpoints that differed from their own.

Young people emerged from institutions that adopted such a teaching style entrenched in their own views, passionate and confident in their truth, yet intolerant of and unable to engage with anyone who disagreed with them. I fear for a future where such thinking dominates decision-making.

Back-to Basics Philosophy

Emet, with its “back to basics” philosophy, will demand of its students a different kind of thinking. It will demand excellence and mastery of a subject before students move forward into debate or advocacy. That foundation will give students the confidence to make the right choices regarding how they spend their time and energy and what issues truly matter to them. It will expose students to a range of opinions, allowing them to see an issue fully and understand it from all sides. From that foundation, students will be confident to truly engage in the kind of meaningful discourse that promotes positive change. When an Emet graduate finds their passion, it will be through independent thought coupled with deep understanding. These are the kinds of young adults who do instill confidence in me for the future.

Emet Classical Academy is a Jewish preparatory school for 5th to 12th graders in Manhattan. The school is committed to the pursuit of excellence in every academic and cultural field and to the preservation of the best of Western civilization. Applications are available for the 2024-25 school year. www.emetclassicalacademy.org

BRIAN: The terrorist attack in Israel was one of the most barbaric, and really beyond the realm of nightmares. Jews and non-Jews alike are disgusted by the brutality. I am heartbroken by what has happened, and I am furious and disgusted by the far left’s near-daily celebrations of the massacre of babies, children, mothers, and fathers in their own homes. I knew the far left was anti-semitic, but many New Yorkers are just realizing this truth. 

At a great, unbearable cost, eyes are opening to the deeply sinister side of far-left politics which mainly run our city at the moment. Many local politicians are members or affiliates of the Democratic Socialists, who sponsored a celebration of the massacre the day after it happened. At that rally, we saw swastikas and Hamas supporters. We need a major political realignment to keep this city from cracking into pieces. 

FFNY: Do you think New York politicians have done all they can to prevent the increase in anti-Semitic attacks? What is your policy recommendation to deal with this issue?

BRIAN: No. I think the local Democratic party embraced a specific brand of anti-Semitism in order to expand their base. The Democratic primary voters, which run the Democratic machine in most districts and fund most of the leftist politicians, insist upon adoption of this insidious and indoctrination to hate not only Jews, but Americans as well. We need to enforce laws, lock up criminals, support the NYPD, and stop coddling violent offenders as if, somehow, we (the “colonizers”) are to blame for psychopathic behavior. Voter apathy has brought us here. We must show up to change course. 

FFNY: In the article, you mentioned that only 1% of those who committed anti-Semitic assaults in NYC since 2018 have been sentenced to prison. Has this changed, or are we still dealing with this problem of no consequences for hate crimes?

BRIAN: It still remarkably low, and it’s not just Jews. Asian Americans have also been disproportionately targeted. Nobody should be free to walk the streets after committing a violent hate crime. Criminal justice “reforms” must be reversed so the people of NYC can walk the streets again without feeling like they must constantly look over their shoulders. 

Being Jewish in NYC Since the Pandemic

By Brian Robinson (April 2023)

This week, a large group of Jewish kids donning yarmulkes were playing basketball in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Innocently, they were shooting around, crashing the boards, and just enjoying a beautiful sun-drenched day thanks to Spring's early arrival. The fun stopped, abruptly, when two teenagers dropped in to giddily revel in a verbal barrage directed at all the Jewishs kids on the court. “Every Jew Shot” they screamed, “Big Hitler Comeback”, they fumed. Then to top it off: A Heil Hitler Salute from each of them.

We should show compassion. It’s not too late for him to understand the horrors of his actions. Antisemitism has been around forever and, as Jews, we deal with it. We are survivors. What can we do? 

In a vacuum, when times are good, and there is no massive surge in hard crime including murders, robberies, and sexual assaults since the pandemic, and if we were not living in a city where antisemitic violent assaults increased an unfathomable 325% between 2020 and 2021 while rising another 43% in 2022, I might agree with this approach. 

But these kids are not the problem, rather a symptom of large-scale negligence brought on by soft on crime lawmakers that operate as zealous activists rather than upstanding government officials whose task it is to ensure their constituents are safe, and their city is thriving.  The city is not thriving, and Jews are no longer safe here.

Ironically, many of our high-level government officials are Jewish themselves. Are they concerned with the abominable rise in violence against their own people? Of course, they are. Just ask Congressman Daniel Goldman representing New York’s District 10.

At the New York Jewish Agenda’s Democratic Congressional Forum held at Congregation Beth Elohim, (of which I was a participant before I switched parties) we were all asked a straightforward question: What did we think caused the dramatic rise in anti-Semitic violence in D10 (Lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn including Boro Park). His answer, the same as all other Democrats except mine: White supremacy.

Now, you’ll get no argument out of me if asked whether white supremacy has been a motivating factor in anti-Semitic violence, both historically and to this day in parts of our country. But that wasn’t the question, and Daniel Goldman knew it. They all knew it. But narrative is all that is holy to modern NY Democrats. I watched as each progressive stood up and blamed the heinous violence against Jewish people in Manhattan and Brooklyn on a contingent of white supremacists in New York City.

I stood up, bewildered, and respectfully disagreed. I pleaded with the congregation, “If we are not willing to truthfully identify the problem, how are we ever going to solve it?”. I explained that pinning violence against a group of people responsible for so much pain is tempting, but we do ourselves a great disservice to state flat out statistical inaccuracies when the stakes are so high. The people attacking Jews in Manhattan and Brooklyn are not white nationalists, or people wearing Trump hats… They are other minorities.

I figured I’d have the Twitter mob on me for at least a week after that outburst... To my surprise, I received the first real applause of the night. Standing there in a synagogue located in the progressive epicenter that is Park Slope, my Jewish brothers and sisters were clapping for me. I broke the narrative, and hell did not reign down upon me, as it so often can. I was shocked, and felt hope for something I was beginning to see as futile.

The optimism I felt from that night, despite the massive political machinery we are still up against, was enough for me to decide to keep fighting. Somewhere, beyond the label of Democrat, of which most Jews identify with, are people that understand how vulnerable they are, and how much they have to lose if we don’t pay attention. 

The critical moment for Jews to come together is now. Since the pandemic began, and as a result of the monstrous murder of George Floyd, our culture has gone haywire. Suddenly, and to a far larger extent than even before the pandemic, the dominant progressive left’s obsession with race and identity hit an insidious fever pitch. The excessively racial politics of today have put Jews in great danger, and those who assault us, don’t serve time, or even go to prison. 69 percent of those who have committed violent crimes against us from 2019-2022 are African American.

A Lack of Accountability

In a city where criminals have become a protected class, it has become unreasonably difficult to call for justice. DA’s don’t want to prosecute, and the progressive mindset is locked into a perverse philosophy that seeks to punish victims and infantilize offenders. In the mind of progressives, criminals are victims of a society that has forced their hand into a life of crime by an oppressive system. Talk about a get out of jail free card? This is lunacy. We have managed to elect the equivalent of dorm room stoners high on notions of communism (an insidious philosophy that has led to the deaths of hundreds of millions of people in the name of social equity). 

We all know that most African Americans are not anti-Semitic. Certainly, none that I call friends. That said, we cannot solve this, if we aren’t willing to have the difficult conversations that are necessary to ensure the personal safety of all New Yorkers. We must address the toxic notion that has infiltrated the zeitgeist of the post pandemic era that divides humans into “oppressors'' and “those who are oppressed”. This is divisive and fuels hatred. Africans Americans and Jews have both been through periods of unspeakable atrocities.

It’s hard to believe that 6 million Jews were murdered in Europe less than one-hundred years ago. The harsh immorality of slavery in this country leaves a lasting resentment to this day. These are groups of people who have been on the wrong side of the worst that humanity is capable of. And yet, in 2023, the flames of antisemitism are burning furiously once again? We have to ask ourselves why us, and why now? 

We can no longer depend on the NY Democratic Party to keep our streets safe or practice responsible rhetoric. The police have been stripped of their morale by a radically misguided “defund the police” campaign that was egged on by most of the Dems that still hold office. It might not fit their narrative, for it would mean admitting that they were wrong to bring such dishonor to public servants, but the vast majority of cops are good people. The officers who haven’t left the force now operate with their hands tied. Recidivist criminals that commit crimes just below the threshold of bail eligible offenses (pretty much everything) rule the streets, projecting their worst impulses on a society that refuses to hold them accountable for their actions.

Credibility Lost

A recent study reveals that only 1.03% of those that committed antisemitic assaults in NYC since 2018 have been sentenced to prison. Recently, Alvin Bragg cut a plea deal with a man that viciously beat down a man wearing a Yarmulke with crutches and pepper spray, whose crimes technically had him facing 8 years in prison. Bragg reduced his sentence to 6 months. This from a man who stated gleefully, and without ambiguity, that “He’d do it again”. The DA has no interest in punishing those who have the potential to repeatedly kill others, and our politicians are either too radical or too scared to speak out. 

It's time for Jews in NYC to drop the Democrats and seek out well-intentioned Republicans and Independents who are committed to our well-being, and not that of criminals. Progressives have let the city erode in all categories related to quality of life. They call this erosion “social justice”. We have to unite and show this city that we will not be silent as our people are attacked repeatedly. We will not vote for those who enable the beatings of our people, for those who only speak out against antisemitism when it is politically convenient, and fits a narrative of white men in Trump hats doing evil deeds.

The NY Dems have lost credibility on so many levels since the pandemic began, and they are so drunk on power, that they feel no obligation to admit to any of it. It’s our fault. They see themselves as the new masters of the universe. Any rational rebuttal to their logic is usually met with some nonsense about Donald Trump to distract you from the horrid job they have been doing running this city. Each iteration of elections brings an even more radical breed of “Democrat” that cares even less for their constituencies. Many of them openly loathe their voters. 

I know many Jews think that voting for Democrats is a moral decision. To that extent, they are correct. But if they care for the wellbeing of the city they love, and the ancient tribe that is tested time and time again, of which they are members, the only moral choice is to fire the Democrats. Our lives, our beautiful city, the kids that play basketball on sunny afternoons, the commuters that take the subway every day in the hope today is not the day they become a statistic, depend on your willingness to soul search, and realize that the Democrats have disappeared years ago. I challenge the 90 percent of Jews that are not complicit in the unraveling of the greatest city ever built, to stop denying our new reality, and to vote differently.

And then I chickened out. 

My first daughter was an exhausting toddler. It was only once she was happily ensconced in school that I was able to delve more deeply into my writing and performing. And it turned out that both my girls enjoyed public school, happy to go off in the mornings, full of stories to recount in the evenings. Then lockdowns happened. 

A COVID-19 dissident, I perversely entertain some gratitude for being forced to live through the insanity of lockdowns because it woke me up fully to the dysfunction of our institutions. I immediately understood, in April 2020, that remote schooling was an invitation to have technology take over the schools—with the ensuing dumbing-down of the instruction which relied heavily on videos, and the violation of children's privacy through the use of invasive software that now recorded their every heartfelt essay and clumsy oral book report.

I also saw firsthand how much the level of education had deteriorated in the interval between my two girls' schooling, with the benign-sounding "social-emotional learning" being a way to turn children's focus on themselves and the minutiae of petty interactions, rather than using that extra time in the day to encourage collaboration on science experiments or dance choreographies. Moreover, the masking of children and social distancing were so barbaric, I am ashamed that I ever allowed my children to be part of that dystopia.

So while I allowed my high schooler to finish off her last bit of public school, I pulled my younger girl into the world of homeschooling, and we have never looked back.

Many like to think of homeschoolers as a bunch of fringe, white, religious extremists. Funny enough, I haven't met a single one of those in our wide homeschooling community. My daughter's new friends are of varied ethnicity and economic background, and come from households of different political and religious affiliations. The only notable thing is the inherent tolerance of differing views, which is unlike the pervasive leftist narrative that superseded all other possible political expressions in my older daughter's high school, where she and her friends learned to practice self-censorship. (Politics have no place in education. But it infiltrates public schools, and I have had to reprimand the high school for encouraging students to divulge their political persuasions in class through online surveys and such.)

My homeschooler's social circle is wide, and the friendship bonds are tight, crossing age barriers—she has close friends years older and younger than she is. I am constantly charmed by my interactions with her friends, with whom I have carried out long dialogues; because homeschooled children spend a lot of time around other parents (who are often involved in organizing book clubs, field trips, classes), they are never allowed to dismiss me as just another adult human indulging in dull palaver above them. 

Most important to the homeschooling adventure is the joy with which my child addresses learning. To be fair, she was an easy candidate for homeschooling—reading and writing are two of her biggest pleasures, and my husband and I made the decided effort to keep both our girls away from screens for the longest time, so she knows how to fill her time with active pursuits away from a computer. It is therefore easy to effectuate her language education at home, through editing her writing, discussing books, pontificating on questions of grammar at random times of the day.

For math, we assiduously follow the Beast Academy curriculum that resonates with me, and until she gets to a level surpassing mine, we will struggle through our daily doses of math problems. I am lucky to have fallen into a wonderful community of homeschooling parents who organize classes to which my daughter flies with endless enthusiasm. Her classes have included ancient history taught by a professor within the galleries of the Metropolitan museum, financial literacy, science and STEM, theater, and chess, all run by experienced teachers in lessons organized by enterprising mothers. 

It is true that none of these classes are free— except for the book clubs and art classes run by volunteer parents. And while some states offer tax credits and even small grants to homeschooling parents, New York State offers us only a subway card and the obligatory quarterly forms to fill out for the privilege of educating our own children. (Luckily these are not unwieldy.) According to Chalkbeat, the yearly spending per public school student in New York is about $38,000. Including subway costs, I spend less than a sixth of that on my daughter's education. I am lucky to be self-employed, so I schedule my private piano teaching around her needs. As she is able to spend my working time reading or creating elaborate art projects, I have been able to add a few students to help pay for her classes. I know that I am in a privileged position for this.

Imagine if our city offered even a portion of that allotted money per public student for parents to band together and form homeschooling communities aligned with the groups' values? Parents could create structures in which they funded their own childcare and lessons, cooperating within communities to help with any transportation. Underprivileged students could escape issues of school violence and sub-par instruction. Parents could make sure that the education their children received did not include issues that contradicted their ethics or religion. Children with special needs could be given the exact kind of instruction they required, while gifted children could learn at their own more accelerated pace.

If you are not acquainted with the writing of John Taylor Gatto, you owe it to yourself to delve into his work. The Prussian model of education upon which our school system is based was never intended to create self-sufficient independent-minded adults. It was designed to form a population trained to the bell, with the barely-hour-long attention span, a population unnaturally segregated by age and taught to cater to authority. I always wanted my children to show respect to all around them, particularly to teachers, but with the knowledge that their ideas can and should be questioned, and that problematic views should be countered. In my experience, homeschooled children usually enter their classes with the agreement that they are willing participants in this learning environment. They learn at their own pace, and if one day demands three hours of math and another day asks for five hours of writing while other days are almost pure play, it all evens out in the end. Most of the homeschoolers in our circle are at or years above grade level in math and English.  

I will not hide that my life has changed radically since I made the choice to homeschool. Though my daughter is a happy, easy kid, I'm an introvert who rarely has any solitude. I have to tune out loud conversations in cafés to put my thoughts into writing while she's at a class. The mothers (and occasional father) homeschooling alongside me have all given up quite a bit of freedom of movement for this choice. But even from the depths of our exhaustion, there is no regret. The happiness of our children is palpable. And while time doesn't quite go by in the blink of an eye, as old people are fond of saying, our steeping ourselves more fully in their childhoods permits us to learn and re-learn the lessons that they were meant to teach us.

I am glad I found my courage again. I am infinitely grateful for those lessons. 

Anais Tekerian is a writer and musician who has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and the Middle East.

From the Streets of Colombia to the Promise of New York

As Alejandro told the hosts of Chase Your Better podcast in 2019, he started getting into fitness professionally only after a life of ups and downs where fitness training started only happened serendipitously as a way to stay centered and focused through life’s adversities.

Born in Cochabamba, Colombia, Alejandro’s youth was marked by rebellion, aimlessness, and loneliness, but also dotted with the interactions of role models, such as his maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather, who lovingly saw his potential. And it was that potential which ultimately brought Alejandro to the US and Staten Island to meet and live with his biological father.

And as Alejandro tells it, the intervening years from there snaked through an emotional journey from anger, violence; and a struggle to learn English, secure legal status, and pay the bills; to heartache, the birth of his first son prematurely and later, a deep depression. Even as his career took a turn for the better, Alejandro found inner peace to be elusive. But what defined him then, and created the trajectory to today, is an ability to channel these hardships and feelings of desperation, isolation, and regret into deep empathy that would allow him to ultimately be a better coach and person.

Inspiring Adults and Kids Alike

Today, Alejandro is a fitness coach, entrepreneur, and is fresh off returning from teaching kids at summer camp. He has a vision of the future where he helps children learn how to understand their feelings and use fitness as a way to find their purpose in life.

We wanted to know more and had the chance to chat with Alejandro this week:

You have talked about growing up being very physical in your day-to-day life and then coming to the US and seeing how kids were less active. Tell us more.

When I was a kid, fitness was not something that was forced. Growing up without a father for half my life I had my to find ways to acquire traits that would one day make my father proud. I would say being fit was just the lifestyle in my country. I was limited in my activities, so the only option was to be outdoors where I helped my family on the farm and found new things to do with friends like hunting, hiking, and playing soccer.

I loved being active. The adrenaline to play on a competitive level with friends kept me sane and confident.

When I came to the US things were very different. All of a sudden, was without friends, especially with the language barrier. My father was also strict about staying out, so my only way out of the house was to work with my dad at his truck shop. A few extra pull-ups, push-ups, and squats were things I did to feel good while working there.

 At the same time, I started to realize that fitness and being active didn’t come as naturally to kids in the US. Heavy technology and a sedentary lifestyle were more common. Without farms to work, or space to play sports outside, there were many more hours logged in front of the television or hanging out at the mall.

To this day, I’d say that was one of the things I missed most about growing up in Colombia.

You've talked about school being tough for you, for a number of reasons, but upon reflection how important was getting a good education to your journey?

When I first started school, to be honest, my concern wasn’t grades but in mastering English. The public school where I was enrolled my first year did not have a great ESL program; so I had to find other ways to learn. I was determined and would buy a book and also the audiobook (back then it was cassettes) which became a great way to learn. Also watching American television helped.

Unfortunately in school learning English was harder, and seeing people who spoke Spanish stick together would not help my socialization. But once my father transferred me to a private school, things changed. The focus on education was more in-depth, and I’m forever grateful to the teachers who helped me master the language.

What is your business today?

I have been a coach for 12 years now and stared my brand, UnleashFIT, 8 years ago. If you had asked me if this would be the path and career I wanted in the future, I would have replied with a big NO. But for some reason, I found my purpose. Like being active when younger, it has felt organic and not forced to pursue this path.

Being able to help others realize their potential to live a healthier and active life has been rewarding for me.

My clientele, interestingly, has also become more female than male which has been an awesome opportunity to show how strength and conditioning can bring confidence.

How about kids?

Over the past four years, I have spent more time training and coaching kids. And, don’t get me wrong, I love training adults, but kids are the future and showing them what I have learned in life and how the confidence gained can make you a better person, is incredibly rewarding.

Longer term, I plan to have a gym dedicated to serving children, and someday open a gym or facility in my home country that would also help kids in need of guidance by keeping them out of the streets and working toward a better future.

How does your job and philosophy extend to being a parent?

The first thing that comes to mind for me is that I didn’t have a father for much of my time growing up, and the negative effect that had on me. At the time, I didn’t know my father had come to US to pursue his American dream, I’m very proud of him and the opportunity it gave me, but it also came at the price of our relationship.

Growing up I also didn’t have proper, consistent guidance. I didn’t know what was right for me. But now I have the opportunity to be different and achieve giving guidance more delicately as a parent. I can share with my kids that the world is not a perfect place, and it only gets harder as you get older. I speak and teach my kids lessons based on how they see life. I never force them to be active, but instead show and motivate them as I do my clients. My philosophy is always been with Purpose, Mindset, Impact.  

We all have a purpose, and it’s our job to find it. You need to have the proper mindset, and it won’t be easy, but you need to be prepared to work for the reward and make an impact on others while you find your own purpose.

Many parents are either not focused on fitness for their kids or sports obsessed — what is the best middle ground?

I see a lot of parents just giving children an iPad or a gaming system and calling it a day. Because the truth is, unless parents also have an active or sports background, it’s rare they can help with a pathway to being active.

But the advice I’d give to parents is try to get your children into as many sports or activities as possible. Let them find their passion for a sport or activity by giving them options. Kids are attracted to competition, but it has to be organic, not forced. Of course, we all know that if you force a kid to focus on just one sport because they “look” like they can do it or even if it’s the only option, it can become a failed effort. Instead, by allowing children to discover what they like on their terms, you are more likely to find success. Because, trust me, once a kid is locked into something they like, they are locked in.

What are your plans for the future?

My plan for the future is to eventually create a summer camp for young kids to help them develop a foundation in fitness, and guide them toward being confident. I believe that children shouldn’t shy away from being strong, as strength is a precursor to any movement your body makes.

And, of course, I will continue building my client base overall with a focus on teaching new skills or helping clients reset their foundation through strength.

I must say I’m very proud of all the things I have accomplished, but now it’s time to impact others, and I’m excited about what the future holds.

***

Want to connect with Alejandro to discuss training for you or your children? You can get in touch here:

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Snapchat @unleashfit

Remote learning was horrible— we had no socialization with classmates or friends. In fact, when our school first closed, the only instruction was one weekly Zoom call to ask how everyone was doing and play Bingo. We were put in an impossible situation to sit at home and do the provided worksheets on our own.

Difficulty of Remote & Hybrid Learning

I was ten years old at the time, and still, remote learning was a challenge for me and my family. We had no idea what was happening, and overnight, parents had to take on the roles of teachers, which many were not able to do. I can only imagine how much more difficult remote learning was for families of multiple children or younger children.

Even when schools were reopened in September 2020, there were still many pitfalls. Students only went to school for a few days a week, and they had one in person teacher and a different teacher for remote learning days. There was no stability, especially knowing that an in-person class could get quarantined at any moment if someone tested positive.

On top of it all, students had to wear masks, even during gym class, which ended up being the main factor for my decision to continue remote learning for fifth grade (my senior year at elementary school). Wearing a mask for eight hours a day was simply too much for me to handle.

Longer-term Impact on Students

Remote learning during fifth grade was the absolute opposite of fourth grade. We were constantly on Zoom for hours a day, and this resulted in way too much screen time. Learning became exhausting. And to top it all off, the graduating class was stripped of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have a graduation and celebrate our accomplishments after six years of elementary school.

Our ‘graduation’ was a pre-recorded video on Zoom where we couldn’t even see the faces of our fellow graduates. In 2020, when we knew little about the virus, and it was spreading rapidly, a Zoom graduation would have been justified, but not in 2021, when the situation had largely improved.

We were told that all of this was done for our safety, yet when hundreds of kids with their parents were packed underneath a relatively small canopy receiving yearbooks during pouring rain, that was considered alright because it was after school hours. Same students, parents, teachers, and administrators— but once the Cinderella clock strikes twelve, the COVID danger spell wears off.

Silver Lining: Discovery of a Passion

As terrible as the situation was, I was able to take lemons and make lemonade. During remote learning, the material was dumbed down so much that I finished it quickly. There were hours in between Zoom classes during which you were supposed to complete your assignments.

So having finished fast with lots of free time on my hands, I was able to expand on a school writing assignment, making it longer than it needed to be. And when the story got great feedback, I knew from then on that I had a passion and talent for writing.

Fly Me to the Moon and Other Stories

In July 2021, my dream of becoming an author came true, and three assignments-turned-short stories became my first book: Fly Me to the Moon and Other Stories. This self-illustrated book is a compilation of stories about a science-fiction space adventure, a self-invented Greek myth, and a bank robbery.

I am glad that I didn’t waste the free time I had and took the opportunity to follow my dream. I would have never expected that something good could ever come out of the lockdowns, but it did. I wanted to inspire others to follow their passions and always look at the silver lining of things. To spread this positive story, an article about my book was published in the Queens Chronicle. 

Return to the Classroom & Ongoing Challenges

At last, for the first time in years, I was finally back in the classroom on the first day of sixth grade. However, there were so many senseless policies in place. In the classroom, we would sit in rows three feet apart. But the moment we stepped into the hallways to switch classes, the ‘social distancing’ disappeared, and thousands of kids were breathing down each other’s necks.

Even better, during lunch time, all of the students could only sit on one side of the table, supposedly so that if one coughed or sneezed, it wouldn’t land on the person sitting across from you. In theory, this sounds great─if everyone just ate their lunch like robots and carried on to their next class. What this irrational policy didn’t account for is that friends would sit next to each other, and turn their heads to chat! In fact, we were sitting closer to each other than we would have if separated by the width of the table.

With half the cafeteria seats out of use, half of the lunch period students had to go outside and then switch with the students inside, which wouldn’t be an issue if we lived in Florida. But with so many days that were above the 32°F cutoff for outdoor recess, it was still too cold for many students who were forced to be outdoors in the winter.

No Preparation for Middle School

Aside from being left with the remnants of COVID policies dictated to schools from above, we were simply not prepared for the difficulty of middle school. Elementary school was very simplistic and primitive, and the standards got even lower during COVID-19, when we would spend half our class time in fifth grade discussing things like our favorite color.

In sixth grade, the teachers did their best to ease us back in and make up for the learning losses, but even so, there was too much emphasis on social emotional learning, which got very repetitive, especially at the start of the school year, when we would do the same getting-to-know-you activities in five different classes for a whole month.

Then, in seventh grade, as we were getting closer and closer to high school and Regents exams, all the accumulated pressure that should have been spread out over the past seven years of school, came falling down on us like an avalanche.

With multiple tests and projects a week, sometimes even on the same day, seventh grade just kicked the door down when we were not expecting it in the slightest. Had the workload and expectations been a gradual increase since elementary school, the sudden bombardment wouldn’t feel so overwhelming.

A Change in Curriculum and Demotion of Merit

Another issue that is prevalent in not just my school, but in schools across the city, is the agenda-driven books and curriculum with little literary value. They were instead focused on politically-driven issues such as immigration and the environment as well as heavy topics such as the Holocaust, war in South Sudan, 9/11, and war in Afghanistan.

Perhaps these books would have been more appropriate if they were more spread out and at an older age, but at the young age of 11 and 12, with these books being assigned one after another, it left a big emotional scar on many students. 

Throughout my eight years of school, it has become clear to me that there is a lack of emphasis on merit. Whether it be screened middle and high schools not considering the state tests as admissions criteria anymore and instead turning admissions into a lottery; turning Gifted and Talented admissions into a lottery; or the dumbing down of material and standards: merit is not being appreciated or valued as it once was.

My Second Book and Future Ambitions

All of my accumulated concerns about education, as well as the overall direction of the country, led me to publish my second book, A Sheep’s Tale - Young Patriot’s Guide to Saving America, in 2022. The book consists of two stories, one laying out the issues America is facing and the second suggesting a solution.

Set in 1928 USSR, the first story follows the life of an immigrant family who narrowly escapes to America, and lives through various historical events until present day, drawing concerning parallels between America and the USSR. And the second story, set in modern-day Memphis, Tennessee, follows a courageous young woman who runs for mayor to save her city.

The book was very well-received, especially among immigrant communities, and was covered in the Chinese newspaper, Sing Tao Daily.

Looking Toward the Future

Currently, I am working on a third book about the American Revolution and the Culper Spy Ring, a little-known spy network that helped America gain its independence.

Many parents are fighting for America as we speak, but it is not enough. The younger generation needs to stand up for our American ideals. America is unlike any country because we have inalienable rights for the people, and we cannot let that be taken away from us. Voting plays a huge role in saving our country, even in local elections, because if we vote for the right candidates, a disaster like the COVID-19 shutdown will never happen again!

During its better days, the Soviet Union was glorified by many US intellectuals as a country of free education, free healthcare, free housing; where factories belonged to workers, and everyone was equal. But then, why would tens of thousands of people, including my family, leave such a paradise and come to the USA as refugees as soon as they were allowed to leave?

The Glorification of the Soviet Union

While people had their free apartments— food and necessities were harder to come by, and most had to be bought on the black market. As apartment complexes aged they fell into disrepair, and the government lacked funds for capital improvements. People had little motivation to work harder, as salaries were similar and small, with few chances to succeed unless one belonged to upper management or the government. Many resorted to stealing supplies and tools from their jobs to trade for clothes and food.

There were also no standardized tests, so the task of assessing students fell squarely on the shoulders of teachers. In addition to being a good student, the teacher had to like you for you to get good grades. As schools scrambled for resources, parents would step in, providing perks to schools and teachers to improve their children's chances of achieving excellent grades.

“Sometimes, when you travel to the West, you inadvertently come back to the East. Many people who left their socialist homeland were recently startled to find Soviet ideas taking a stronghold in many corners of American education and politics.”

Culture and Indoctrination

In Soviet culture, the Communist Party ran supreme, and there was a rite of passage for young children from Oktyabriat (Children of the October Revolution) to Pioneers and Komsomol. Children participated in rituals like wearing buttons and red ties and reciting poems about how Comrade Lenin liberated them from the evils of capitalism. In earlier grades, it was mostly play-based, but as students grew older, they studied the advantages of the communist system and its supposed superiority over the West.

Every year, on May 1, the entire country marched to celebrate the liberation of the proletariat. Several times a year, paper was collected for recycling, and competitions were fierce, with winners receiving praise in the school newspaper and prizes. Staged protests demanded freedom for Angela Davis and other Western activists, although many students didn't know who Angela Davis was, only that she was falsely imprisoned in the USA.

History education mostly focused on the history of Russia, the victorious Bolshevik revolution, and the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Chinese empires. European history was taught mainly in the context of World War II and its relationship to Russia. In the Americas, the education mainly revolved around Cuba and Argentina. Students dedicated half of their history time to studying World War II, where the Soviet Union defeated Nazi Germany. Many students had family members who fought in the war or grew up during that time, so these stories resonated deeply.

I studied in a specialized school where we learned English from an early age. However, except for one or two students, nobody had ever been outside the Soviet Union since people were not allowed to go abroad. I learned everything about London without much hope of ever visiting. When I finally did visit London years later, I knew the streets and attractions by heart, as if I had lived there for years.

Like any normal kids, we formed friendships, laughed, created mischief, and tried to score candies and ice cream that were not readily available. Oranges and tangerines only showed up in the stores a few times a year, making them a real treat.

Soviet Ideas Taking Hold

Some of my earliest Soviet memories resonate with the current debates to eliminate standardized tests, grades, and admission exams in order to promote greater equity. While there may never be a perfect test to predict students' future trajectories and success, replacing standardized blind testing with a ‘holistic’ approach may give administrators too much power in selecting suitable candidates. The system could eventually prioritize ‘friends and family’ connections over hard work and merit, much like it was a common practice in the Soviet Union.

While activists may find comfort in the fact that 100 percent of schools in the Soviet Union were public, were they truly equal? Hardly so. Schools in wealthier areas or specialized language, sports, or art schools attracted better students. Parents tried to utilize their connections to place their children in better-zoned schools.

Where the Soviet Union shined was in excellent mathematics and physics instruction. The government needed workers and scientists for the military and factories, and they understood that the economy runs on math. Math is beautiful because it transcends language and culture, and it is elegant and easy to assess. It’s puzzling to me that America is lowering the standards in the sciences — something that even Communists understood they couldn’t do it.

Preserving the Competitive Spirit of American Education

Many people tried to escape the chaos that ensued after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Our family was fortunate to be granted refugee status. Life in the US has its challenges, and everyone experiences ups and downs. However, what attracted millions to the US was the promise of fairness, transparency, and the opportunity to succeed through hard work and a positive attitude.

The elimination of specialized public schools and accelerated public education could exclude talented children from underprivileged backgrounds unless their families can afford to send them to coveted zoned or private schools. This would restrict the upward mobility of talented students from working families and create social tensions. When people lose trust in their ability to succeed based on merit, they often turn to the underground world of cheating and crime.

As an immigrant myself, I suddenly felt free and motivated to succeed when I came to the USA, and I believe that preserving the competitive spirit of American education is crucial. We must not replace merit and the drive for excellence with stagnation and decay, as seen in the demise of the Soviet Union.

Alex Shilkrut is a first generation immigrant from Uzbekistan and Attending Physician at Metropolitan Hospital, H+H

Almost 16 years from that day, I now reflect on my time as a student of iLearn Schools, alumnus, and more recently, Head of the Alumni Association at iLearn Schools. I now can say, however, that I understand why my mother and father so vehemently wanted me to attend a charter school.

Power of Determination

In first grade, my first year as a student in the charter schools system, I wasn’t mathematically gifted, I hated reading, and I struggled to even focus on the smallest of tasks.

Ironically, I have now completed four years at Columbia University majoring in Astronomy taking one of the most mathematically involved majors in combination to a rigorous curriculum that demands attention to detail and dedication to the books that you choose to read for your classes.

But success and determination is something that is common among charter students. I hear stories about the success and perseverance of alumni often.

Proud Alumni Give Back

Pedro Peguero from iLearn Schools ‘18 who has completed his pre-law track at Montclair State University, Rayanna Henry ‘20 who has been pursuing nursing at Ramapo College and Kyra Ibok ‘19. Rayanna, Pedro, and Kyra, who are also working as representatives of their vast alumni networks, are only a fraction of what the collective effort of alumni from charter schools can achieve.

I hope for the day that all alumni from charter schools can meet and see each others success. Not just from iLearn Schools but across the charter landscape and recognize the importance of being a part of a great educational community.

Just the Beginning

This is my final year working on the alumni association, and as of next year I’ll begin my time at Stanford University’s Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology. While it has been quite the journey, I do not have any doubt that if you graduate from a charter school you are ready to take on the world.

If you are a parent student or alumni, understand that the community is the backbone and strength of your commitment to education. Indeed, my success as a student of iLearn Schools has been driven by my teachers, my friends and, most importantly, my mother and, now, late father, who I know is proud of me.

I've been very fortunate to have attended some amazing district public schools, including PS6, PS 77 (the Lower Lab School), as well as Eastside Middle School. The quality of education that I received in those schools was excellent, and they are some of the finest public schools in the city of New York. I've also been fortunate to attend the Bronx High School of Science which, although not in District 2, is an amazing Specialized High School. I'll be graduating in a few weeks, and on June 26th I'll be continuing my public school education as a cadet in the United States Military Academy.

At this point, I believe it's important for students in my generation to volunteer and commit to public service. I hope that organizations such as the District 2 CEC will continue to welcome student members so they can be a part of the decision-making process on issues affecting our community. I encourage the New York City Department of Education to make more opportunities available so that a greater number of students can partner with educational and community leaders to learn more about the issues that affect our lives in such important ways.

We find ourselves presently embroiled in a lack of consensus regarding the future of education in our city. Having served on this council, it's clear that issues such as diversity, equity, merit, educational rigor, and student and school admissions can often trigger vastly opposing opinions. I like to think that despite the issues that have divided us, there are central truths that we can all agree upon. Perhaps most importantly, every child in New York City deserves a quality education.

While we might disagree on how best to provide that quality education, it seems clear to me that there could be many paths to achieving that goal. I would encourage the Department of Education and this community not to abandon academic rigor in the name of equity. Academic rigor and equity do not have to be mutually exclusive. I believe that students should be rewarded for hard work and achievement. Otherwise, it's difficult to ask students to remain motivated. I also believe, as others have said, that school admissions should be based on academic and social-emotional needs, and not in a lottery that awards spots based on chance.

If we ever need proof that the lottery system does not work, consider my former school, Lower Lab. Lower Lab is a gifted and talented school, and I've learned recently that 27 out of 57 students on a survey have indicated they'll be leaving the public school system to attend private schools. Certainly, we should question if the failure to get into one of their top schools is the reason that their parents have indicated they'll leave the public school system.

If we want to retain students in the public school system, we have to provide them with options and schools that are challenging and meet their needs. Otherwise, more and more students will continue to leave the public school system. While I've been fortunate to attend some amazing schools, there can be no doubt that a large number of New York City schools are failing students by not addressing their needs. We must strive to ensure that all of our city's students have access to the resources that they need to succeed. We should strive to provide equal opportunity, but not at the cost of engineering equal outcomes for students.

True equity is providing every student with the tools to succeed. Let's work on improving teaching, physical facilities, and testing resources for all students. Let's work together to make sure that students in temporary housing have sufficient resources. But let's also maintain academic rigor and understand that no two students are the same. Different students have different needs, whether they be social, emotional, or academic.

As the parents of Lower Lab have shown, when the community fails to adapt and meet those needs, families will go elsewhere. We have to think outside the box and customize education so that it addresses each student's individual needs. I hope that the next board will work towards building consensus around many of the issues I've just discussed and work to involve students more in the process of CEC work.

Again, I want to thank my fellow board members and wish everybody the best of luck in the future. Thank you.

The DOE is pushing the narrative that enrollment drops are a thing of the past. It happened because of COVID-19, and now we have stable enrollment numbers.

I decided to dig in the numbers because at least for D2 I know this is not true. Here is what I found:

• The official numbers show that there was a 2.2% drop in enrollment in FY 23 (versus 5.7% in FY22 and 4.3% in FY21)

• But these numbers are misleading because it doesn’t account for the 14K students who are asylum seekers. If you take out the number of asylum seekers who arrived this year, the drop in enrollment would be 3.9% (assuming all the 14K arrived in 2023 since Mayor Adams announced Project Open Arms in August 2022). This matches the DOE projections, which are made usually in April/May: before the influx of asylum seekers.

Several CEC presidents received an email saying that as of March 18, 2023 there were “13,248 asylum seeker students across 608 schools.” Despite the NYC DOE press secretary attempting to say that there is no tracking by immigration status, this email that was shared with me has an Excel spreadsheet with the exact numbers of kids by school. It’s also titled “Project Open Arms.”

For context, in August of last year the Mayor Adams announced Project Open Arms, explaining it as: “a comprehensive plan to support families seeking asylum and ensure children are provided a full range of services to start their New York City.” In the nine-page document, there is comprehensive detail around how children are accessed for grade level, provided after school programs, language services and social emotional support using DESSA program. Notably, a three-year, $18 million contract was awarded to Aperture for the DESSA tool. But many parents and teachers were unhappy with the SEL tool.

When journalists started to ask questions last year about which schools received funding to support the new students, the DOE took the data out of their website. The Gothamist reported that in November of 2022 there were ~6K asylum seekers, so our schools received 7K students just in the past 6 months.

The DOE’s spokesperson suggested via Twitter that the figure I noted was simply children in temporary housing. But, according to the New York Times, in October of 2022 there were 104,000 public school children homeless and in temporary housing.

So considering the needs of so many unhoused children already in New York City, and to properly assess how many families are leaving the public school system, transparency matters.

And in review of the distribution of students, it was clear that asylum seekers are being placed disproportionally in low-income neighborhoods. There are schools that received only 6 students, and some received more than 300. Families deserve to understand why a particular school has been chosen. And to dispel any concerns that the disproportionate allocation isn’t to simply adjust for schools having lost a significant percentage of students.

As a CEC member, I want to understand which schools are losing students and why. We should hold principals and our superintendent accountable: we should help expand the schools that people would like to go to. And we should change things at the schools that are losing so many families.

As an example, there is one school in our district that has lost almost half of its student population in the past two years. But you can’t see this if you don’t look at the disaggregated numbers.

The NYC DOE should be absolute transparent about its enrollment numbers so we can really understand the decline and then start the more important work of understanding the reasons why so many families are looking for other schools.