A letter by my beautiful daughter #ProtectOurSchools

March 28, 2015

Dear Governor Cuomo,

My name is Äya Krienke, I’m 11 years old, and I am completely disappointed in your decision to take money away from public schools, and your enforcement of standardized test. There is nothing bad about Common Core, it has actually taught me a lot, but what’s really disappointing is making students and teachers performance based on standardized tests. Children should have the right to learn things other than Common Core, for example, learning about history, art, music, and the actual meaning of what it is to learn. Otherwise what’s the point of going to school? Teachers and students are more than test scores! If I was a teacher and you had passed this law, I would not want to teach under these circumstances.

School should feel safe, and taking way billions of dollars from our public school system, will not benefit our safety. I have the privilege of going to a very good public middle school, if you make these cuts, then my school, and all other public schools are at jeopardy. I thought that we were trying to make New York a better place, and if you pass this law, the New York dream will be at risk.

Not everybody has the privilege to go to a private or charter school. Please don’t take away the advantages of having a good public education. Public schools should offer children free and equal education. This is often not the case in New York City school. Taking away funds will make this even worse. Plus, funding charter schools only puts money and education in the hands of corporations.

I want you to know that all public school members and I think that your decision is unacceptable! Please make the right choice for New York!

Sincerely, Äya Krienke
6th grade, New Voices MS.443
Brooklyn NY