POLITICO NY: Hundreds rally at City Hall for restoration of summer camp cuts

Hundreds rally at City Hall for restoration of summer camp cuts

By Eliza Shapiro

12:59 p.m. | Apr. 25, 2016

Over one hundred students and advocates rallied on the steps of City Hall on Monday to call on Mayor Bill de Blasio to restore funding cuts to summer camp slots for 31,000 middle school students.

Public Advocate Letitia James, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and City Councilman Mathieu Eugene spoke at the rally.

James said the group would hold another rally on Tuesday if de Blasio does not include both funding for summer programs and pay parity for early childhood educators in his executive budget. Advocates have been pushing the mayor on both issues for two years, arguing that funding cuts for summer programs and pay disparities conflict with his administration’s focus on educational equity.

Last year, de Blasio announced the restoration of cuts to summer programs just hours after advocates held a similarly-sized rally.