22 minute read
Editorial/Opinion ................Pages 12,13 Education
Chancellor Banks addresses confusion over admissions policy
By STEPHON JOHNSON
Amsterdam News Staff
New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks wants to clear a few things up for students and parents.
“I’ve heard from families across the city over the past two months, and the consensus is clear: we must reform our enrollment and admissions policies and expand access to quality schools,” said the chancellor. “The decades-long status quo of dread and stress around this process ends under this administration.
“As we look ahead to next year and beyond, we will continue to collaborate with our families on strategies to streamline our policies and expand high-quality learning opportunities for every child.” Some of the changes Banks wants for the 2022-’23 school year include: simplifying and streamlining all enrollment and admissions processes, from 3-K to Gifted and Talented and to high school; increasing opportunities for students in all zip codes to eliminate roadblocks to success; adjusting the learning process recognizing that onesize-doesn’t-fit-all for students and building trust with the community. This, said Banks, should take the burden off families who are confused about the application process. It’s part of his four-pillar system, which he unveiled earlier this month, that would establish a ‘new normal’ in the public school system.
During a news conference with New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the mayor recited something that he hears Banks say regularly.
“It’s not about dismantling something because you did not create it,” Adams said during the announcement for the Summer Rising program for K-8 (designed to provide internships and jobs for city kids whether it’s through Community Based Organizations or the Summer Youth Employment Program). “It’s about taking what’s worked and building on it.”
Some parent organizations believe that Banks’ goals have aligned with the city and Albany and it seems to be working for now. On Monday, Jasmine Gripper, the executive director of the Alliance for Quality Education, approved of the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly’s 2022-’23 budget proposals including the potential expansion of eligibility for free and affordable childcare. Something that could get Banks’ plan rolling from jump.
“Both the Senate and Assembly proposals also show their strong commitment to New York’s public schools and students,” said Gripper in a statement. “In addition to committing to the second year of the phase-in of the Foundation Aid formula, expansions to pre-K, community schools, and student mental health supports, among other investments, would help alleviate some of the most pressing needs and inequities facing our public schools.”
This year is the same as last with the Bill de Blasio carryover that allows all kids with an average of 85 or higher to be considered for a spot in one of the city’s more competitive schools.
It’s an issue that’s stuck in the craw of the previous administration along with former Schools Chancellor Richard Carranza. The decade-long fight for admissions into specialized high schools has pitted the city’s Asian-American community against the Black and Brown community with the former stating that “lowering standards” and not counting the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT) would leave many of their students out in the cold.
Black and Brown students make up more than 65% of public-school students, but 20% of specialized high school students. According to InsideSchools.org, 71% of Stuyvesant High School students are Asian. Five percent of the school’s students are Black and Brown. Banks’ process sounds like the results of the 2019 School Advisory Group put together by the previous mayor. The group that included mayor-appointed parents, students, academics and advocates, recommended eliminating gifted and talented programs and replacing them with non-selective magnet schools. Banks’ summed it up when he commented on New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ desire to keep schools under mayoral control. When commenting on the New York City Schools Chancellor David Banks fear of mayoral accountability being hopes to implement his agenda in 2022-’23 left out of the budget, the schools (Photo Courtesy of SCHOOLS.NYC.GOV) chancellor said, “The amount of inter-agency coordination to make this happen is only made possible because of mayoral accountability, which has been the case for our pandemic response as well. Mayoral accountability is the foundation of our school system and I’m disappointed that politics are disrupting the security, certainty, and responsible inter-agency planning that our families deserve now more than ever.” Adams added, “The bottom line is that we should be proactively supporting our children by giving them the certainty they need as soon as possible— particularly after the trauma they’ve experienced over the past two years.”
Global G.L.O.W. and The Bronx Academy of Letters helping Black girls be seen
By M’NIYAH LYNN
Special to the AmNews
The risks impacting girls don’t receive enough attention from society, such as policy makers and researchers, according to a study by the African American Policy Forum (AAPF) and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies. The Urban Assembly Bronx Academy of Letters offers middle and high school girls the opportunity to get support and mentorship through G.L.O.W. Club, the school’s after school program in partnership with Global Girls Leading Our World (G.L.O.W.). The club, which is both girl-informed and girl-led, helps turn girls from students to advocates for themselves and their communities.
The Bronx Academy of Letters’ G.L.O.W. Club uses curriculum to educate girls of color about their history and factors that could be affecting them on a day to day basis. During Black History Month, the girls learned Empathy Across America, a curriculum that allowed girls to explore their shared history.
“Essentially, we brought those tough conversations up and built empathy and solidarity at the same time,” Global G.L.O.W.’s Program Manager Binta Freeman said. She designs the curriculum.
Through the program, girls at The Bronx Academy of Letters, ages 11 to 18, also cover mental health strategies, self-discovery and community service, to name a few points. “One of the things that we do focus on is community engagement and making sure that we make the Bronx better, not worse,” Frances Herrera, teacher and overseer of the program, said.
To turn girls into advocates, Herrera said she tries to present the girls with impactful opportunities. She introduces the girls to role models, such as businesswomen that have their own establishments and involves them in efforts to volunteer.
“We introduced the idea of advocacy by starting with the self. Understanding yourself, increasing self-awareness and knowing your boundaries helps you navigate yourself and voice if those boundaries are crossed. This will naturally trickle down into the community,” Freeman said.
Girls of color face and confront risks like their male counterparts. According to Black Girls Matter by Kimberlé Crenshaw, “despite evidence that they, too, face barriers that undermine their overall well-being, Black girls seemingly remain invisible within the White House’s signature gender- and race-targeted initiatives.”
Also, not only may girls of color experience some of the same challenges that affect the life chances of boys of color, but they face unique challenges, “Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced, and Underprotected,” the study released by the AAPF and the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies, said.
“For example, when it comes to disciplinary measures such as suspension and expulsion, Black girls face a higher level of racial disparity than their male counterparts,” Crenshaw said the study revealed.
Girls are G.L.O.W.’s target audience. Boys are welcomed to participate, when applicable, for advocacy days. However, Freeman said women and girls are marginalized in different ways, so it’s important to G.L.O.W. that girls have a safe space to learn and share in their program.
Herrera grew up in Harlem. She said she can identify with and relate to the students she’s connecting with. As a native New Yorker, Freeman can identify with the students too.
“Growing up in Harlem it wasn’t easy. I remember a lot of violence and drugs. I remember a lot of things that weren’t the best, so when I went into teaching, I wanted to make sure that regardless of teaching in an urban area, there would be support,” Herrera said.
Global G.L.O.W. is an international nonprofit that was founded in 2012. It currently operates in about 27 countries. The organization creates and operates programs to mentor girls. G.L.O.W. received special consultative status by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) in 2020.
Born and raised in Flatbush, Cunningham said that he’s dedicated the past 20 or so years to working in the city, state, and federal government as well as the nonprofit sector. He was known for his innovative ideas on how to improve transportation in the district.
Cunningham had last run for city council in District 40 to replace then term-limited Councilmember Mathieu Eugene in 2021, but reluctantly dropped out. Cunningham’s wife was battling Stage 4 endometriosis at the time. They decided to take the time off and tend to her health and family wellness rather than continue in the race, said Cunningham.
He’s thankful that he still has the support of the community and heavy endorsements from Adams and the county party going into the special. And because of his experiences he said public safety and Black maternal health are paramount to his campaign.
Jelanie Deshong was the director of government relations at SUNY Downstate Hospital and is running on the Working Families Party line against Cunningham. Most recently he served as assistant secretary of intergovernmental affairs for Gov. Kathy Hochul.
His campaign focuses on public safety, investing in the district’s hospitals, and housing. “And for me, working at Downstate, seeing the historic lack of investment in a state-run hospital in Brooklyn,” said Deshong, “one thing I want to do is provide sort of 5th Avenue care right here, and I think it’s achievable.”
Deshong also said that he anticipates that most voters will vote on Election Day so he’s not worried about low turnout.
Meanwhile, assembly candidates Pierre Albert and Tim Hunter said they have decided to play the long game by dropping out of the special election to compete later against the winner in the June primaries. It’s a riskier strategy but it can be done since there’s technically no guarantee that the candidate that wins the special election will be voted in again.
The district covers Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts Gardens, and Flatbush.
The special election concludes on Election Day, Tuesday, March 22.
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about culture and politics in New York City for The Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://tinyurl. com/fcszwj8w
Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium, Brooklyn, NY: Turner Construction Company, an EEO Employer, is currently soliciting bids for the Rehabilitation and Flood Mitigation of the New York Aquarium from subcontractors and vendors for the following bid packages:
BP #047C– Epoxy Flooring (Bid, Payment & Performance Bond Required) BP #047A – Resinous Matrix Terrazzo Flooring (Bid, Payment & Performance Bond Required)
BP #047B – Rubber Flooring (Bid, Payment & Performance Bond Required)
BP #050 – Specialties (Partitions, FEC & Extinguisher) (Bid, Payment & Performance Bond Required)
Only bids responsive to the entire scope of work will be considered and, to be successful, bidders must be prequalified by Turner. Certified M/WBE and Small Business (13 CFR part 121) companies are encouraged to submit. In order to receive the bid packages, potential bidders either (1) must initiate the prequalification process by submitting a Subcontractor/Vendor Prequalification Statement to Turner, or (2) must be prequalified based on a prior submission to Turner. (Note: Prior prequalification submissions that remain current will be considered as previously submitted or may be updated at this time.) All bidders must be prequalified by the bid deadline: April 11th, 2022 and initial submission of a prequalification statement not later than April 11th, 2022 is strongly encouraged. All bidders must have an acceptable EMR, and will be subject to government regulations such as 44 CFR and Federal Executive Order 11246. Successful bidders will be required to use LCP Tracker compliance verification software. Note that while this is a New York City prevailing wage project, union affiliation is not required for BP #047C, #047A, #047B and #050
A Webcast about the above Bid Package/s will be held on March 11, 2022. Attendance is optional for all; the Webcast is designed to assist potential M/WBE subcontractors/vendors. Link: Please join this meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetupjoin/19%3ameeting_YWVhMTM0ZTktYTliZC00ZDkyLThiYjQtMTkwMWE4ZWIyZmFj%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3 a%2220e27700-b670-4553-a27c-d8e2583b3289%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22732a90ce-24b7-42eb-bf78-d638e2a629ac%22%7d
To obtain further information about contracting opportunities and/or the prequalification package and bid solicitation package/s, please contact Lyndsey Spangel, lspangel@tcco.com 646-842-1659. The date for the virtual public opening at the Turner Construction Company office located at 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York, is April 12th, 2022 10 AM Link: Please join this opening meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetupjoin/19%3ameeting_YWVhMGQ2ZjctNDk0OC00MDcwLWJlOTctNzJhNGU4OTczYTdk%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b %22Tid%22%3a%2220e27700-b670-4553-a27c-d8e2583b3289%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22732a90ce-24b7-42ebbf78-d638e2a629ac%22%7d
STUDIO, ONE and TWO BEDROOM RENTAL APARTMENT WAITING LISTS ARE BEING OPENED
Apartment Size Rental Charges Income Limits (Min - Max)* Studio $1,950 $93,612 – 163,820
One Bedroom $2,300 $110,405 – $193,208
Two Bedroom $2,679 $128,569 – $224,996 *Based upon the number of persons in household. Rents subject to change. OCCUPANCY STANDARDS: STUDIO – One to Two persons. ONE BEDROOM – Two to Three persons. Minimum of two persons is required. TWO BEDROOM – Three to Five persons. No fewer than three persons, a brother and a sister who are both adults, or a parent or guardian with at least one child.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: (FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION)
• Applicant must be a New York State Resident. • Applicant must be at least 18 Years Old at the time of the lottery. • Preference will be given to documented veterans selected in the lottery. • Applications are not transferable. • Applicants must be financially responsible. • Any applicant that does not have the proper family composition will automatically be disqualified. • ONE REQUEST ONLY PER APPLICANT. Any applicant placing a duplicate request will not be entered into the lottery.
An applicant can only submit a paper entry or an on-line entry. If applicants enter on-line and also mail in a letter or postcard, they have submitted a duplicate request and will not be eligible for the lottery. • Applicants can only be on one waiting list at a development. If applicants have the right family composition, they can apply to more than one lottery. However, if they are selected for more than one lottery, they will have to choose which waiting list they prefer. • An applicant whose name is selected in a lottery cannot be included in the family composition of any other applicant who is selected in the same lottery for that particular housing company development.
Failure to comply will result in the disqualification of both applicants. Additional Information: Waiting list will be established by a limited lottery. There will be a limit of 500 applicants drawn from the Studio Lottery. There will be a limit of 500 applicants drawn from the One Bedroom Lottery. There will be a limit of 100 applicants drawn from the Two Bedroom Lottery. HOW TO APPLY: ONLINE You can now apply to a lottery online through Mitchell-Lama Connect. Applying is fast, easy and you will be able to check the status of your entry to see if you have been selected. To apply on line go to:
https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/lottery.html#ml-home
BY MAIL Mail Post Card or Envelope by regular mail. Registered and Certified Mail will not be accepted. Clearly print your full first and last name, current address and last 4 digits of your social security number and the bedroom size lottery that you wish to apply for. If you do not include the last 4 digits of your social security number or fail to indicate the bedroom size lottery, you will not be entered into the lottery. Mail post card or envelope to:
MANHATTAN PLAZA Mitchell Lama Studio Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 985 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991 MANHATTAN PLAZA Mitchell Lama One-Bedroom Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 1026 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991
MANHATTAN PLAZA Mitchell Lama two-Bedroom Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 952 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991 DEADLINE: Requests must be received by: April 20, 2022. MANHATTAN PLAZA • 400 WEST 43RD STREET
MITCHELL-LAMA RENTAL– PROJECT BASED SECTION 8
TWO BEDROOM RENTAL APARTMENT WAITING LIST IS BEING OPENED COMMUNITY BOARD 4 RESIDENTS, COMMUNITY BOARD 4 ELDERLY RESIDENTS AND PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTISTS (CAN RESIDE ANYWHERE IN UNITED STATES)
To be eligible to receive Section 8 Housing Assistance, at the time of admission applicants cannot earn more than:
# of Persons
3 4 5
Maximum Income*
$116,033 $128,858 $139,185
*Based upon the number of persons in household. Rents subject to change. OCCUPANCY STANDARDS: Three to Five persons. No fewer than three persons, a brother and a sister who are both adults, or a parent or guardian with at least one child. COMMUNITY BOARD 4 BOUNDARIES: Southern Border: North Side of West 14th St. Eastern Border: 6th Ave. until 26th St. where the border travels west and goes up 8th Ave. Northern Border: 56th St. between 8th & 10th, 54th St. between 10th & 11th, 55th St. between 11th and the River, then up the West Side Hwy to 59th St. PROFESSIONAL PERFORMING ARTISTS LIVING ANYWHERE IN U.S. earning 50% or more of their income for the past 3 consecutive years from Performing Arts work are eligible to apply under the Performing Artist Category.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: (FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH ANY OF THE FOLLOWING WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION)
• Applicant must be residents of Community Board 4. • For the Community Elderly list, applicant must be at least 62 years old at the time of lottery. • PREFERENCE WILL BE GIVEN TO DOCUMENTED VETERANS SELECTED IN THE LOTTERY. • Any applicant that does not have the proper family composition will automatically be disqualified. • Applicants can only be on one waiting list at a development. If applicants have the right family composition, they can apply to more than one lottery. However, if they are selected for more than one lottery, they will have to choose which waiting list they prefer. • Applicants must be financially responsible. • ONE REQUEST ONLY PER APPLICANT. Any applicant placing a duplicate request will not be entered into the lottery. An applicant can only submit a paper entry or an on-line entry. If applicants enter on-line and also mail in a letter or postcard, they have submitted a duplicate request and will not be eligible for the lottery. • Applications are not transferable. • An applicant whose name is selected in a lottery cannot be included in the family composition of any other applicant who is selected in the same lottery for that particular housing company development. Failure to comply will result in the disqualification of both applicants.
Additional Information:
Waiting list will be established by a limited lottery. There will be a limit of 100 applicants drawn from each list. HOW TO APPLY: ONLINE You can now apply to a lottery online through Mitchell-Lama Connect. Applying is fast, easy and you will be able to check the status of your entry to see if you have been selected. To apply on line go to:
https://a806-housingconnect.nyc.gov/nyclottery/lottery.html#ml-home
BY MAIL Mail Post Card or Envelope by regular mail. Registered and Certified Mail will not be accepted. Clearly print your full first and last name, current address and last 4 digits of your social security number and the bedroom size lottery that you wish to apply for. If you do not include the last 4 digits of your social security number or fail to indicate the bedroom size lottery, you will not be entered into the lottery. Mail post card or envelope to:
MANHATTAN PLAZA Section 8 Community Two-Bedroom Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 965 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991 MANHATTAN PLAZA Section 8 Elderly-Community Two-Bedroom Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 946 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991
MANHATTAN PLAZA Section 8 Performing-Artist Two-Bedroom Lottery Peck Slip Station • P.O. Box 937 114 John Street New York, NY 10038-9991 DEADLINE: Requests must be received by: April 20, 2022.
Factcheck: COVID vaccines do not contain microchips
Claim: The COVID-19 vaccine contains a magnetic tracking chip that allows the government to track vaccinated individuals.
Factcheck: The COVID-19 vaccine does not have a microchip. It is not possible, given the size required for microchips, Dr. Matt Laurens, a pediatric infectious disease specialist, told CNBC. Laurens further explained that a microchip requires an associated power source which would have to transmit a signal through muscle, fat, and skin, rendering it senseless that there is a microchip in the COVID-19 vaccine. Upon further investigation, our interview with Dr. Miriam Merad, MD, PhD, director of the Precision Immunology Institute, confirmed that claims of COVID-19 vaccines having microchips are “baseless.” Merad additionally explains that “any foreign material in the vaccine will risk its efficacy,” explaining that having something like a microchip in the vaccine will ruin its contents.
By ROSHNI SALEEM CHAGAN
MPH candidate at Columbia University
BACKGROUND: As the COVID-19 pandemic became increasingly politicized and as vaccines started rolling out, vaccine conspiracy theories populated the internet and gained traction. One of the more popular conspiracies was that the vaccine injected a tracking microchip that made people magnetic and allowed the government, and elites such as Bill Gates, track those who were vaccinated. Rumors about Bill Gates spread in March 2020 when Gates mentioned rolling out an initiative that would have digital certificates of vaccines, COVID-19 tests, and recoveries. It is important to note that the potential technologies referenced by Bill Gates are entirely different from the vaccine and are not a source of tracking either. When the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was approached with these rumors, they staunchly denied them, saying that the claim was false.
Dr. Martin Herrmann, the medical director of Mayo Clinic in Waseca and New Prague, explained that these assertions are false. Herrmann assured that there is no way for the vaccine to track people or gather personal information. It is simply an mRNA vaccine that instructs cells in one’s body how to make a protein that will aid the body in triggering an immune response if in contact with COVID-19. The sole purpose of COVID19 vaccines is to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to lower hospitalization rates and death rates due to the virus.
Though rumors about vaccines containing microchips have been firmly debunked, this conspiracy theory still circulates around the internet.According to CNBC, 1,500 American adults were asked if they believed that the U.S. government was using the COVID-19 vaccine to microchip the population, 5% of them said yes. A microchip is seldom smaller than a
See Blacklight on page 32
According to a recent report by the Center for New York City Affairs (CNYCA) at The New School, the human services sector is one of the lowest average paying large industries in the city. The average pay for these workers equals that of laundry and restaurant workers and less than stores, hotels and office clerks.
“Rather than fund services based on an analysis of the actual cost of providing highquality services and fairly compensating a well-educated workforce, the city contracting process generally functions to reimburse contracted services at the lowest price possible,” read the study put together by James Parott, director of economic and fiscal policy at the CNYCA, and L.K. Moe, assistant director for economic policy of the COVID-19 Economic Recovery. “This system has forced nonprofits to operate at extremely slim margins and reduces the possibility of human service workers earning wages and benefits that are at parity with comparable positions in either the public or the private sector outside of the city-contracted human services sphere.”
All of it is unreasonable and objectionable to some elected officials.
“It is unacceptable that essential service workers receive completely inadequate pay, benefits, and advancement opportunities in their professions,” said Councilmember Althea Stevens, chair of the Committee on Youth Services. “As they’ve continuously worked to keep our city going before, during and after the COVID-19 pandemic they deserve equity. The momentum of New York City’s recovery endeavors continues, and we must stand with the women and people of color in underserved communities as they are being affected by this the most. We migrate from contracts that have provided no benefit to these essential services workers, and provide everyone with equal opportunities for advancement and the compensation that is deserved.”
“That recovery cannot happen without fair wages for the women and BIPOC community who are the overwhelming majority of NYC human services’ workforce,” added Councilmember Amanda Farias, co-chair of the Women’s Caucus. “Our human service workers, who have been heavily relied upon since the start of the pandemic, are some of the lowest paid workers in New York’s economy. The average human services worker makes only $32,700 a year, far below what the standard requirements are to meet the basic expenses of living a self-sufficient sustainable life in New York City.
“We must honor our essential workers’ need for sustainable compensation with the same energy we gave them everyday at 7 p.m. through the height of the stay-athome order.”
WOODYSUN, HDFC is a 78-unit building including 77 units designated for the elderly or mobility impaired located at 44-20 64th Street Woodside, NY. We are pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the waiting list for qualified applicants. Eligibility will be based on these income guidelines. Occupancy/Income Guidelines:
Family Size Apt Size Monthly Tenant Portion of Rent* Total Maximum Gross Income **
1 Studio Eligible resident pays 30% of income
1 1 Bedroom Eligible resident pays 30% of income
2 1 Bedroom Eligible resident pays 30% of income $41,800
$41,800
$47,750
Apartments are available to seniors aged 62 or above or over 18 years of age and mobility impaired. * Includes gas for heat and cooking ** Income guidelines subject to change
Monthly rent is based on 30% of the family’s total household income per U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development regulations.
Interested parties can complete an application online at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/
NY3141-3796
If you have a disability and need assistance with the application process or to request a paper application, call Phipps Rentals at 646-388-8227 or mail a request for an application to Woodysun Apts., P.O. Box #427, 2 East 28th St., NY, NY 10016
Paper application must be mailed to the post office box number on the application and postmarked by June 16, 2022. Duplicate applications will not be accepted. Qualifications will be based on Section-8 Federal guidelines and additional selection criteria.
APPLICANTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO MEET ADDITIONAL SELECTION CRITERIA
NO BROKERS FEE. NO APPLICATION FEE. RETURNED APPLICATIONS WILL BE SELECTED AT RANDOM.
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