Assemblyman William Colton (D – Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach, and Dyker Heights) is pleased that a great number of the elected officials from the city and state levels of government joined him in a letter circulated by Assemblyman Abbate and myself to the Mayor and NYC Schools Chancellor demanding to restore screenings and auditions in middle schools’ admission policies.

“Elected officials showed an enormous concern regarding the Mayor's and NYC Chancellor’s announcement on the eliminating of middle school screens. Parents are outraged that middle school admissions will be by the lottery this year and not by merit of the student’s performance. Mayor and Chancellor have disregarded the 70% of the concerned voices that spoke out to maintain screens at the Admissions Engagement Forum in June. They repeatedly delayed the announcement of these drastic changes until the day before winter break. The news has completely shaken the confidence of families throughout the city in our administration. The parents and students deserve to have a less confusing and more consistent process during this chaotic time,” Colton stated.

“The new lottery for middle school admissions creates unfairness for all students. Children’s education should not be based on random luck but instead, be focused on individual student needs. Lotteries do not attempt to match students with schools and programs that meet their academic needs, talents, and supports. Chancellor Carranza mysteriously mentioned the lack of data as a key reason to remove academic-based admissions criteria for middle schools, although acknowledged that such data exists, and can be used for high school admissions. The DOE is proceeding with talent auditions for high schools but refuses to do the same for 5^th graders. This so-called “pause” will have a long-standing impact on students and we cannot allow it,” Colton continued.

The parents are grateful that many elected officials are opposing the changes that were made by the Mayor and Chancellor and will not accept any changes to the Middle Schools’ admission. Parents and students are entitled to the clarifications and the proposed lottery must be immediately cured. We will not allow the Mayor and Chancellor to scrap Gifted and Talented admission policies. We will not stand by and permit them to destroy our children’s future. The fight will continue until we will prevail in the fight against such illogical educational policies by this administration,” Colton added.