The New York City Public Schools serves one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. But the diversity is not adequately reflected in the ranks of its teaching force. During the Bloomberg administration (2002-2014), the percentage of new Black teachers hired declined by almost 40% and the percentage of Latino and Asian teachers remains far below that of the student body. This exclusion shortchanges all students by depriving them of the variety of cultural knowledge that should inform curriculum, pedagogy and daily classroom interaction. It replicates societal norms and structures which devalue contributions and perspectives of non-dominant racial and cultural groups. It reinforces and normalizes the dominant group values in way that alienate students. We are dedicated to creating an educational experience that challenges young people to embrace a global perspective and empathize with unfamiliar folkways and life paths.
We are committed to achieving teacher diversity in NYC's public schools.
We will do whatever we can legally and appropriately to preserve and expand the diverse nature of our teaching community.
MISSION
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We believe:
A diverse teaching force — more reflective of New York City's students and the community at large— is integral in educating our young citizens;
It is urgent to reverse the disturbing trend of disappearing teachers of color from the public school system.
Our focus is on:
Raising awareness and educating the public about the facts of this issue in order to bring about the changes that our children and school communities need and deserve;
We actively advocate for:
Policies for retaining existing teachers of color, and intentionally adding new, qualified hires from a much more racially diverse labor pool.
