The article details the escalating conflict between educators and the New York City Department of Education (DOE) over budget cuts and school closures, particularly impacting special education programs and services for immigrant students. The DOE, under Mayor Eric Adams, faces a significant budget deficit and is implementing austerity measures, leading to staff layoffs, program reductions, and the planned closure or merger of several schools.
The article highlights the growing opposition to these measures from educators, parents, and students, who are organizing protests and demanding that the city prioritize education funding. They argue the cuts disproportionately affect vulnerable student populations and undermine the quality of education across the city.
The piece criticizes the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) leadership for what it portrays as a lack of forceful action in defending its members and fighting against the budget cuts. It claims the union leadership is prioritizing collaboration with the DOE over the interests of its members, resulting in concessions and a failure to adequately address the concerns of rank-and-file educators. The article promotes the idea of independent rank-and-file committees as a way for educators to organize independently and fight for their demands, advocating for a broader political struggle against austerity and for the right to quality public education.
find the original article here: https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2025/03/07/ywbb-m07.html