The Progressive Caucus supports the recent report by New Yorkers for Great Public Schools, which exposes the connections between presumptive Republican presidential nominee Governor Mitt Romney and StudentsFirst NY. A corporate-backed national organization, StudentsFirst launched their New York chapter in order to advance the Bloomberg administration’s education reforms.
StudentsFirst’s national policy platform emphasizes standardized testing, charter schools and online classrooms, and union-busting tactics — all of which benefit their right-wing board and donors. We believe this is the wrong direction for public education, and support policies that prioritize smaller class size, a well-rounded curriculum, and parental involvement.
Furthermore, we are troubled by the apparent shared ideology of StudentsFirst and Bain Capital, which consistently puts profit first. We are calling for leadership both in New York City and nationally that is not beholden to these interests.