Betsy Gotbaum

The New York Public Advocate

I just want to say that Staten Island shows exactly why we are here tonight. We are here because parents want to be involved, they need to be involved and in this latest reorganization, my big problem with it is that parents have not been involved. They have not gotten a seat at the table and I’m very concerned about that.  I think that one of the ways they can get a seat at the table is what 31 I.D.E.A.L. has done. It is an extraordinary organization made up of parents, administrators & teachers and they really do a job that we should model throughout the whole city. 

I am dedicating my next 2 ½ years to being there for the parents, to being a voice of the parents, to listen to the parents and to try to work with all the organizations to make sure that the parents have a seat at the table.