Statement on the Appellate Court decision yesterday

August 10, 2022

The Appellate Court acknowledged that the City was entitled to an automatic stay of Judge Frank’s decision. The consequence of the automatic stay is that the budget cuts to schools go back into effect. It is important to note, however, that the Judge did not review or even consider the merits of either parties’ arguments or the City’s papers. We are disappointed that the City asked for a hearing date at the end of August, rather than immediately. This will further delay the “chaos” that the City repeatedly cited in its brief, and prevent principals, teachers, and parents from knowing what their school budgets will look like until the appeal is heard on August 29, 2022. In the meantime, we urge the City Council and the Mayor to negotiate and implement a budget modification to immediately restore these damaging cuts because our public school children deserve a safe and productive return to school in the fall, which our Mayor appears bent on denying.

 Statement from Laura D. Barbieri – Special Counsel, Advocates for Justice and Attorney for the Petitioners in Tucker vs. City of New York