Sounding the Alarm for Local Education Councils

Below opinion piece was published in the Daily News on Saturday February 11, 2023. 

If “all politics is local,” there’s no question that the most important political race in NYC is the 2023 Citywide and Community Education Council (CCEC) Elections.  As a veteran parent leader, I can tell you from firsthand experience that some of the most important policy gains in public education have been made by CCECs. From parent engagement to admissions, CCECs have influenced policy.  While parent leaders do not agree on every issue, it’s important we continue to insist on a seat at the table. After all, what’s more important than the education of our children?

Make no mistake, local school governance is under siege. The current CCEC elections have not received adequate publicity and DOE has abandoned “parent empowerment.” Nepotism has eroded the trust between DOE and parents. Disenfranchisement has led to the mass exodus of Black families, the canary in the coal mine for the health of New York City schools.
 
And yet, local school governance is more important now than ever. We must remember how the perseverance of collective parent advocacy can lead to significant changes. New York City’s  “mayoral control” legislation will sunset in 2024 - strong parent voices will be important in determining how education policy is made and who governs our schools. The Governor's Executive Budget started the new season of political game of monopoly that shifts resources away from public schools to the private sector. What’s important is that our children’s interests remain at the center of the decision-making, and that is why we need parents to run for CCECs.

This is a final call to parents - the deadline for running for a CCEC seat is next Thursday, February 23rd.  The future of New York City schools will be defined by those that join the conversation. Please don’t miss this opportunity to make a difference.


NeQuan C. McLean is the President of Community Education Council #16 in Brooklyn, which
serves Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights.