Well, weren’t the United Federation of Teachers and New York State United Teachers clever! Instead of backing veteran State Senator Frank Padavan, whom they have supported for many years, they backed a lightweight with no proven track record in education, Tony Avella. In Senator Padavan’s 38 years, he garnered a proven record of winning funding year after year and passing maintenance of effort legislation to make sure education dollars were spent on education, and when the teachers’ union needed help when cuts were threatened, they ran to Senator Padavan, who always came through.
Now that it looks like the Republicans are going to retake the majority in the State Senate, a freshman senator from the minority party will have absolutely no clout to help city schools get the funding they need.
Cindy Leahy
Jamaica
