Fidler Urges Council To Make Commitment For Gifted Programs

Councilman Lew Fidler recently introduced a resolution urging the New York City Department of Education to make a five-year commitment to preserving the New York City public school system’s gifted programs. Fidler has extended an invitation to each and every member of the Council to join him in cosponsoring this Resolution so that the Department of Education may fully understand just how committed the Council is to maintaining these crucial programs.

"Our system of public education cannot be one size fits all," stated Fidler. "Programs that elevate the thousands of gifted children in our City must be maintained and be allowed to flourish. Parents are entitled to an assurance that their
children’s needs will be met," continued Fidler.

The reorganization of the City’s Department of Education has caused a great deal of uncertainty in many areas for the parents of the children of this City. The continued existence of programs for our gifted children is one of the foremost areas of uncertainty and discontentment.

It was only recently that the Department of Education issued its first comment on gifted programs, assuring parents in Fidler’s "Region" of Brooklyn - Region 6 under the new school boundaries - that our community’s gifted programs would continue next year in a "substantially" unaltered way. No assurances, however, have been given that they will continue beyond that point.

"Parents plan for their child’s education," Fidler remarked. "One year commitments make little difference. A parent will not put a child in an educational program that needs to be several years long without knowing that the program will continue beyond a single year."

It is an undeniable reality that our City’s gifted programs are the reason many thousands of New Yorkers send their children to public schools. Many even maintain they are the reason that many of these parents remain in our City all together. Fidler stated "As a parent, I know that if I were not satisfied that my child was receiving a quality education in our public schools, I would be forced to act. New Yorkers who cannot afford private educational alternatives, would be forced to consider moving elsewhere."

"I want to be clear that I am not calling for the resignation of Deputy Chancellor Lam or any other individual. I am however calling for some common sense. Gifted programs are more important to the continued vitality of Public education that
the Department of Education seems to realize."