Community and Citywide Education Council Elections are Around the Corner, Do Parents Know?
If you have a child in NYC schools, you’ll soon have the opportunity to vote for representatives to advise the Department of Education. But it may not be as easy as it sounds.
Cassandra Neyenesch is a Brooklyn mother of two who didn’t see local politics in her future until it happened. Now, with one child in high school, Neyenesch is running to advise the New York City Department of Education on high school policies and programs.
“An inner voice told me, like, we really need to protect New York,” Neyenesch said.
Neyenesch is one of a growing number of New Yorkers concerned by conservatives who have used Citywide and Community Education Councils to amplify their message. One council passed a resolution critical of the city’s policies allowing transgender girls to participate in women’s sports.
“This is a classic fascist playbook,” she said. “They go after the most vulnerable people in society.”
In the last election, the conservative-backed group PLACE NYC won nearly 40% of council seats across the city, and swept the race for the high school council. Only 2% of eligible voters turned out. An investigation by the NYC Comptroller’s office found an inconsistent and poorly advertised election process.
Lara Lai, Senior Policy Analyst and Strategic Organizer for Education at the NYC Comptroller’s Office, says changes need to be made to ensure broad participation.
“This is the way that parents can have some form of representation at the highest levels of governance within the city,” Lai said. “And I don’t think DOE does a good job of really emphasizing that to parents.”
Lai says the DOE did not share what changes it was making in response to their investigation. While the DOE has taken steps to advertise, Neyenesch and Lai said the process is still confusing.
In a statement, NYC DOE spokesperson Chyann Tull said, “Since receiving the Comptroller’s letter, we have taken multiple steps to strengthen the election process, including updating campaign guidelines and improving outreach to potential candidates.” Tull explained a pushed back candidate filing deadline as “made to accommodate mid-winter recess” and “ensure broader participation.”
Elections will occur online from April 25th to May 13th.
Eric Santomauro-Stenzel is a reporter from Long Island, NY and covers politics for City Newsroom. His prior coverage has included social movements, discrimination, education, and more. He is a recent graduate of Hamilton College outside of Utica, NY.