Support East Ramapo Public Schools Before it’s Too Late

Act Now

State Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski has introduced strong legislation that would allow New York state to take financial control of the Hudson Valley’s East Ramapo Central School District.

Year after year, members of the white majority in East Ramapo – who send their students to private schools – vote down school budgets that include funding increases for public schools, where 96 percent of the students are people of color. Now the district is in a financial crisis of its own making and the public school students in East Ramapo are suffering as a result. This is 21st-Century Jim Crow—segregated schools that deny the right to education to children of color—right here in New York.

Tell your state senator to introduce and support legislation that will finally help end Jim Crow education in East Ramapo.

Message Recipient:
Governor Kathy Hochul
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins
Senator Shelley Mayer
Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski
Your State Senator

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With time running out on this year’s state legislative session, I’m writing to ask you to support East Ramapo’s public schools before it’s too late.

State Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski has introduced strong legislation (A. 10407) that would allow New York state to take financial control of the East Ramapo Central School District.

The district faces a financial disaster of its own making and it might not be able to pay its bills as soon as this summer. Just last week, the district informed parents that it is not offering summer programming, leaving families in the lurch.

Year after year, members of the white majority in East Ramapo – who send their students to private schools – vote down school budgets that include funding increases for public schools, where 96 percent of the students are children of color. This is 21st-Century Jim Crow — segregated schools that deny the right to education to children of color — right here in New York. Assemblymember Zebrowski’s bill creates a fiscal control board with the authority it needs to protect the financial and academic well-being of the district.

It allows the state to raise local revenue to fund urgent needs in the district, including for building and facilities repairs, even if the majority votes down the school budget. It also allows the state to rein in the exorbitant expense of transportation in the district, delivering better quality busing at less taxpayer expense. This is important because East Ramapo currently spends tens of millions of wasted dollars on busing — more than any comparable district in the state — while cutting classroom services, extracurriculars, and custodial services to pay for it.

These are urgently needed reforms that would dramatically improve East Ramapo public schools.

The bill also provides funding to the district to help address its ongoing financial emergency.

I’m counting on you to support legislation that will finally help end 21st century Jim Crow education in East Ramapo.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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