Craig Slutzkin for CEC 2

About Craig

I will bring a unique background and level of experience to the CEC. My experiences advocating for our city and for our kids has made me ready on Day 1 for our District 2 CEC.

Native New Yorker

I know NYC public schools... because I grew up in them. I went to PS 232Q, JHS202Q and Townsend Harris High School, all NYC public schools. I have lived in NYC all my life. I'm a single dad living in Chelsea.

Dedicated to our Schools

I'm the proud parent of a 1st grader at PS 340, a neighborhood school right down the block, where I serve as PTA Co-President and member of the SLT. I am currently on the Admissions and Diversity Committee of CEC 2. I am also Co-President of the Townsend Harris High School Alumni Assocation.

Community Activist

I've lived in Manhattan for over 15 years. I have served on Community Board 5 for a decade, now chairing its Parks and Public Spaces Committee with a reputation of bringing parties with very disparate opinions together.

MY PLATfORM

Programs That Serve Our Kids

Different parents want different educational experiences for their child. Some parents value a G&T program. Some value academic screens in our schools. Some value honors classes. Some value a Dual Language Program. Some value community above all else. I believe we need to recognize that different families value different things. There is no “one size fits all” solution. Different students learn different ways, and we should encourage a system where students get the education they can flourish in.

Reading Proficiency for All

We must acknowledge that the DOE has failed when a majority of students aren’t reading at a proficient level by third grade. We must advocate for more reading specialists in each school to ensure all children learn to read and comprehend. This builds a trajectory that creates success as children progress through the system. We must create rigorous standards for completing a grade and achieving graduation – not “dumb down standards” because the DOE fails to educate.

Safety For Our Kids

We must focus on school safety. We have seen many recent incidents. I co-wrote a D2 resolution that called for enhanced school safety measures. The Mayor has proposed funding for schools to get locks on their doors, but there is much more to accomplish. We must have an adequate number of safety agents at each school. Parents should be able to track the buses that transport their kids. And we must ensure appropriate measures are taken to support students who experience bullying and harassment.

Celebrate and Honor Diversity

We should celebrate our diversity in D2. We must serve our ELL students, particularly our newest families. Diversity and high-quality public education do not need to be at odds with each other. There is much work to be done to welcome our newest families and integrate them within our school communities.

HS Geographic Priority

We must advocate for geographic priority for high school for D2 students. It is simply a failure that Manhattan students can be sent anywhere in the city the DOE sees fit – even if to just further the DOE’s arbitrary goals. Our kids should not be faced with getting none of their 12 choices and be faced with insane commuting times.

Elevating Parent Voices

We must ensure that parents and guardians are not just listened to, but actually heard. Too often over the past few years, DOE higher ups held town halls and "listening sessions" for parents and guardians, then simply ignore their concerns and forget about the what they want for their kids. Parents and guardians are the "front line" and know what's best for their kids. The DOE must not ignore them.

VOTE FOR CRAIG SLUTZKIN FOR CEC 2

Vote on your NYC My Schools Account between April 21 through May 9