Letter to the Editor: Invest in Our Schools

Budget deliberations in Albany include provisions that would reduce the state’s support to the Syracuse City School District—when what is most critically needed is investment in City Schools and the children they serve.

Syracuse families bore especially heavy burdens this past year. The pandemic magnified inequities, adding stresses, job loss, food insecurity, and childcare struggles. Our students, almost 80% of whom live in poverty, have lost hundreds of hours of in-person learning and access to services. Despite the District’s Herculean efforts, more than ever are at risk of falling behind.  

Budget cuts would endanger critical services, from mental health support to school nurses. City kids, including our many special education and English Language learners, will once again suffer the most. This is a pattern across New York, with 4+ billion dollars of Foundation Aid owed to the poorest districts.

There is a solution: the Invest in Our New York Acts. Lawmakers are holding off on taxing the richest 1% of residents due to disproven fears of losing them, forgetting their obligation to millions of New Yorkers who are struggling. 

We are sounding the alarm on behalf of District families and educators. We must invest in our schools now to give kids a chance to recover and thrive. If we are to be a city of innovation and opportunity, our children need – and deserve — an excellent and equitable education. 

Please do not overlook the Syracuse City School District’s urgent funding needs this April. Visit http://www.syracusecityschools.com/funding to learn more.

Abby Nordquist 
Afton N Kapuscinski
Aidan Ackerman
Alaa Craddock
Alan Foley
Alexandra Marini
Ali Allami
Alison Jackson Popp
Allison DeVoe
Amanda Evans
Amy Criss
Amy Kruse
Amy Moon
Anastasia Earley 
Andra Leimanis
Andrea Acey
Andrea Jacobs
Andy Mager
Aneta Kolodziejczyk
Angela Dains
Angela Petrie
Angela Wood
Anita Welych
Ann Palmer
Ann Rodak
Anna Dahlstein
Anna Marie fortino
Annabel Hine Otts
ANTHONY BARTLETT
Anthony Hall
Antonisha McMillan
April Beier
April Williamson
Ashley Bloomer
Ashley Kennard
Ben Johns
Benjamin Miller
Beth Ferri
Beth Myers
Betty J Thompson
Bob Piraino
Boryana D Dragoeva
Brandy Mosier 
Brenda Pyrtle-Provost 
Brian Brown
Brian Caufield
Brian G. Fay
Brian Griffith
Candia Tucker
Cara M. Potamianos 
Cari Diggs
Cari Tinelli
Carmen Rose Viviano-Crafts
Carol Baum
Carol Weatherby
Casey Cleary-Hammarstedt
Casey Necheles
Catherine Kline
Cathy Killian 
Chancellor
Charlotte Flynn
Charlotte Sharpe
Cheri Capparelli
Chris Sinatra 
Christiana Okereke
Christina Kinsey
Christina Kinsey
Christine Gehring
Christine Harris 
Christopher Scanlon
Chukwudi Okereke
Claudia Klaver
Colleen Cicotta
Colleen DeSalvatore
Connor Brazell
Connor Burke
Craig Gostin 
Crystal Ashby 
Cynthia Jakubowski 
Cynthia pyrtle
Dan Skidmore
Daronda Shepard 
David Hegland
David Larsen
david m kane
Deborah and Stewart Diemont
Deborah Durham 
Deborah Rose
Deborah Tobin
Deirdre Popp
Diane Murphy
Diane W McKenney
Diane Williamson
Donna Moore
Dr. Allison Nast
Dusty
Ed Luban
Eduarda Bossers
Elaine Williams 
Elena Brown
Elizabeth Boniewicz 
Elizabeth Drotar
ELIZABETH F COHEN
Elizabeth Hogan
Elizabeth Kelly
Ellen Spencer
Elyse DeSalvia
Emera Bridger Wilson
Emily Creasia
Emily Smith
Eric Ferguson
Erika Barry
Erin Murphy
Esther Escobar
Eve Macaluso
Evelyn Kennenwood
Galyn Murphy-Stanley
Garrett Esposito 
Gila Reckess
Gina Houck
Gina Terzini
Gretchen Purser
Gwen Riley
Hanah Ehrenreich
Hande Salman
Heather Engelman
Heather McDay
Heather Scanlon
Heather Vincent 
Heidi Hart-Gorman
Holly Barrett
Irene Workman
JAMES MOSHER
James P. Vermeulen
James Smith
Jane A McLaughlin
Janet Atkinson
Janet Young
Jasmin Fink
Jeanne Johnson-Brown 
Jeanne Olson 
Jeffrey Johnson
Jeffrey Tamburo
Jeni L Pearlman
Jennifer Abdella
Jennifer Bybee
Jennifer Kelley 
Jennifer livingston 
Jennifer Montague 
Jennifer Thayer 
Jeremy Zhe-Heimerman
Jess Alighieri
Jesse Nissim
Jessica Allman
Jessica cabiles
Jessica Montena
Jessica Ryan
Jessica Sicherman
Jill Ferguson
Joan Supiro
Jodi Salatti 
John Ashby
John Auwaerter
John Sheridan
John Ward
Jonah Minkoff-Zern
Jordan Westfall
José L. Giner
Joseph Bennett
Josh Cronlund
Joshua Michael King
Julie Gozan
Julie Reedy 
Justin Pritchard
Kaitlin Gallagher
Karen Cordano
Kari Zhe-Heimerman
Karly Grifasi
Kate and Brian LaClair
Kate Hanson
Kate Smith
Katelyn Evans
Kathleen Barrett 
Kathleen Mosher
Kathryn Pistello
Kathryn S Downing 
Kathryn Stampalia
Katie McDonald
Kayla G Kelechian
Kayo Green
Kaytlyn Flansburgh
Keith Bybee
Keith Rosenthal
Kelly McCann
Kelly Sickler
Kelly Weatherby
Kentria Haynes 
Kerry Darmody Zubrzycki 
kerry Pritchard 
Khris dodson
Kim Mangano
Kimberley McCoy
Kimberly Brooks
Kira Moodliar
Kourtney Wolfe
Kristin Esposito 
Kristin Powell 
Kristina Kamery
Kristine Martin
Kyle Costello
LaShonda Corey
Laura Keller
Laura kulczynski 
Laura Williams
Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern
Lauren Boldon
Lauri DeSalvia
Laurie Trainham
Leah Cronlund
Lee Kennard
Lesley Porcelli
Linda Davie
Lisa Kuerbis
Lydia Jones 
M. Casey Weissman-Vermeulen
M. Scott-El
Maggie Ritnour
Margaret Martin
MARGOT DENGEL 
Mariana Pernia Kaufman
Maribel Arce
Mariea Robertson
Mark Griet
Mark LaClair 
Mark Rupert
Marsha Weissmanm
Martine Dosa 
Mary Carello
Mary Carney
Mary Hagemann
Mary Mahan
Mary Mason
Matthew Leonard
Matthew Manning
Maura S Ackerman
Maureen Curtin
Maya Montena
Meagan Weatherby
Megan Bahns
Megan Brown
Megan Pareja
Megan Tully
Megan Tully
Melanie Dunham
Melanie Stevens 
Melinda Wells-Reynolds 
Melissa Fierke
Melissa Hidek
Melissa Whipps
Meredith Austin 
Michael Ames
Michael G Grifasi
Michael Massenzio
Michael R Ebner
Michaela Czerkies
Michaela Funk 
Michele Romeo
Michelle Walker
Michelle Wranesh
Miranda Hine
Miriam Hinkelman
Monique williams
Morgan Jensen
Niasia turner
Nicholas Petrone
Nichole Dougherty
Nicolas Salibrici 
Nicole Fonger
Nicole Hershberger 
Nicole Massenzio
Nicole Y Franklin
Noah Montena
Oceanna Fair
Olivia Fedele
Patricia Birago
Patrick J Costello
Paul R. Harvey
Penelope Eisenbies
Peter Couvares
Peter Smith
R.L. Simon-Hordies
Rachel Fleming
Rebecca Shaffer Mannion
Reid Sullivan 
Renee McKissick
Richard C Rogers 
Rina Brule
Robert Hinkelman
Robin J Young
Ron Ehrenreich 
Rose Viviano
Rosemary Kelly
Roshana Daniel
Ryan Pearlman 
Sam edelstein
Samantha Pierce
Sandra Porter
Sara Ames
Sarah Beck
Sarah Bell
Sarah Brown
Sarah C. Harwell
Sarah Stegeman
Sasha Gozan-Keck
Savannah Montulli 
Savannah soliday
Sean Michael Conrey
Seth Jolly
Shanni Chien
Sharon Kawa
Sharon M. Stevens
Sondra Roth
Stefanie L Schimpff
Stephanie J Fay
Susan Keeter
Tabitha Ngwashi
Tanya Bowen
Telete Y Cross
Terra Peckskamp
Thandekah Dancil
Theresa C Stowell
Theresa Gero
Thomas Keck
Toni Bell
Tonya m Bigness
Tracy Carrick
Tracy Miller
Travis Thayer
Trini Vargas
Tyler Jenks
Valery Wentworth 
Vanessa Rose
Veronica Tearney
Victor Okereke
Vizma Leimanis
Wendy fitzgerald
Wendy Harris
Wilfredo Perez
Yuko Delaney
Yvonne Chu