Council Member Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) questioned the Department of Education on community access to public school facilities during off-school hours at a City Council committee hearing. At the joint hearing between the Education and Cultural Affairs committees discussing arts education in public schools, Felder asked what resources were being made available to non-public schools and suggested better access to public school facilities. Community groups such as non-public schools often have trouble getting access to unused public school auditoriums, libraries, gyms, and other assembly halls. Making these areas more accessible would be beneficial to the entire community.
“Space in the city is limited, so areas where community groups can get together need to be properly utilized,” said Felder. “Schools are often empty after school hours. Let’s see what we can do to make sure the community can benefit from this unused resource.”
Council Member Domenic M. Recchia Jr. (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs, said, “Dance schools, civic associations and theater groups that always rented out these spaces have been summarily shut out. Where else are children going to find the stages on which to perform? It’s another example of the Department of Education stifling the artistic talents they should be nurturing.”
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9 Responses
Frum people in predominantly frum neighborhoods (not only in NYC) aught to register their kids in the public schools just to get the attention of the state school superintendants. We don’t get much from the state. They take our taxes and they take us for granted.
Thank you Simcha. This is the type of issues we want you to take a stand on.
Simch, speak to your buddy Mayor Mike. You helped him with indigestion pricing maybe he can help you with this.
Hey Simcha!
Why not take a strong stand against Toaivo? And while you’re at it, how about some pro-family legislation? Such as keeping that shmutz off the billboards and buses…
do the ppl in Felder’s district pay taxes?
I’ve been begging him for years to do something about this issue. Growing up in brooklyn I would have loved to have a gym to play ball in and not get kicked off the baseball diamond because some shvunches had permits which we couldn’t get.
Yeshiva kids should not be kicked off the field’s in 18th Ave. park for some little league team.
Simcha, keep up your wonderful work! The Jewish Community is lucky to have you and owes you alot of hakaras hatov.
I think all the frumkids in boropark should register for publicschool just to scare the snobs in the dopartment of education
lesschumras
Let them play someplace else. Friday afternoon, the only time yeshiva boys get off, they the shvuntzes have to come with their permits, we were never able to get permits for those times.
A shvuntz is a tail.