Budget Cuts Threatening To Cramp P.S. 321's Style
The administration and PTA for P.S. 321 on 7th Avenue and 1st Street—widely considered one of the best and most progressive public elementary schools in Brooklyn, if not the entire city—are up in arms about the $125,000 in budget cuts the school is facing, and they’re calling on parents to march at the Department of…
The administration and PTA for P.S. 321 on 7th Avenue and 1st Street—widely considered one of the best and most progressive public elementary schools in Brooklyn, if not the entire city—are up in arms about the $125,000 in budget cuts the school is facing, and they’re calling on parents to march at the Department of Education offices tomorrow. (Principals all over the city have been slamming the slashed DOE budget.) P.S. 321’s principal sent a note home to parents saying the cuts mean the school won’t be able to buy new classroom furniture and certain school supplies (including new math books), and that there will be less money available for the professional development of teachers. On Monday, the PTA co-presidents sent home another letter (see copy on jump) about how the loss of funding will hurt the school; this communication asks parents to show up for the 4:00 p.m. rally in Lower Manhattan tomorrow to protest the cuts. (The rally is distinct from the meeting about the budget cuts that Councilman de Blasio is holding at Borough Hall tonight.) So how does all this circle back to real estate? This is no doubt overly simplistic, but is it possible for the budget cuts to make some would-be Slope buyers (who often move to the neighborhood because of schools like P.S. 321) reconsider, or think about shelling out for private school instead? Or do the strong voices of parents at P.S. 321 affirm the lure of the school and neighborhood? GMAP
11.15 – thats the big secret we are meant to keep to oursleves. Please keep mum on this.
Really horrible reporting here.
You REALLY think people choose Park Slope solely on a school??
Even without PS. 321, Park Slope is still one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Brooklyn…if not the entire city.
Suggesting that a school makes or breaks a neighborhood with regard to real estate seems asinine to me.
Especially when you consider only 24% of Park Slope even HAS kids.
As a parent zoned for PS321 – I really don’t care – no matter what happens my Kids will still do well in this society because we live in an information age, where income and success are directly tied to a person’s education and unlike the perpetually poor underclass I am not waiting for a bunch of politicians, bureaucrats and community activists to educate my child. I spend time teaching them everyday and I am quite confident that if they went to the lousiest school in America (except for the risk of violence) they would excel.
Education has so much more to do with the parents then any ‘school funding formula’ or other such nonsense.
I agree with 10:52. We need more schools and not just elementary schools. No one (and I mean are local elected) seem to be addressing that need. I just completed both the middle and high school process (well, applications were submitted who knows what the end result will be) and I am completely flipped out so much so that a temporary out of state relocation is looking like a viable option.
Since schools citywide will be hit with budget cuts, I would think that this makes a school with an incredibly well-heeled PTA, like PS321, even more of a desirable commodity.
Most schools don’t have a parent community that can make up a $125k shortfall without blinking an eye. 321 does, so they’ll do just fine while other schools deteriorate.
Education is over rated. Become a real estate broker.
Let’s see: Bush is giving each of these families $600-1200 this year. Bloomberg will send out those $400 rebates again this year.
Maybe if people want to put their money where their mouth is, they can just endorse these over.
There are schools for whom these cuts are drastic. 321 is not one of them.
“Don’t worry, Park Slopers, your kids will still be previlaged.”
As long as they keep teaching spelling.
Could budget cuts in the city, be a factor in housing prices decreasing?
Just a thought, will be think, well, I’m not getting much services in the city, I’ll move to the burbs.