Immigrant, advocate groups rally at Borough Hall to protest proposed education cuts
1,800 Brooklyn students fear $12 million budget cut in de Blasio proposal
“Education is a right, budget cuts are wrong,” was shouted from the steps of Borough Hall on Wednesday morning, as students from all across the borough joined elected officials to protest a feared $12 million budget cut in education programs. They lined the steps of Borough Hall holding up signs protesting proposed cuts for English programs that they believe are essential for immigrants to learn the language and find better jobs.
According to the New York City Coalition for Adult Literacy (NYCCAL), a collection of nonprofit community-based organizations, libraries and City of New York (CUNY) branches that provide English language and other adult literacy programs, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s 2018 Executive Budget contains a $12 million funding cut that will eliminate literacy classes for more than 5,500 students throughout the city, including 1,800 in Brooklyn alone. Advocates say that without these classes, immigrants would not be able to get better jobs.