HERKIMER JUNIOR SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT COUNCIL Contact: Daniel Adamek Telephone: (315) 868-3953 Email: danielladamek@gmail

l com FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HERKIMER STUDENT COUNCIL CALLS UPON GOVERNOR CUOMO TO FAIRLY FUND PUBLIC EDUCATION
!n T"e#da$% &a'ch (% mem)e'# o* the +e'kime' ,"nio' - .enio' +igh .chool .t"dent Co"ncil "nanimo"#l$ pa##ed a 'e#ol"tion that demand# that /o0e'no' And'e1 C"omo and the 2e1 3o'k .tate go0e'nment )egin to *ai'l$ *"nd p")lic ed"cation% e#peciall$ high need# di#t'ict# like tho#e in the &oha1k 4alle$ The 'e#ol"tion cite# #o"'ce# #tating that the'e i# a gap o* 58%661 )et1een the amo"nt o* mone$ #pent pe' p"pil in the 'iche#t and poo'e#t di#t'ict# in 2e1 3o'k .tate% along 1ith a di**e'ence o* 789 in the g'ad"ation 'ate# )et1een the#e t1o coho't# The$ )elie0e that thi# i# not #it"ation *ai'% and "ltimatel$ cont'i)"te# to the "nending c$cle o* po0e't$ :The *act that o"' p")lic high #chool onl$ o**e'# t1o Ad0anced ;lacement co"'#e#% no hono'# co"'#e#% little to no non-e##ential cla##e#% and ha# )een in a #tate o* pe'pet"al att'ition *o' a# long a# < can 'emem)e' i# not accepta)le%= #a$# .t"dent Co"ncil ;'e#ident Daniel Adamek :,"#t )eca"#e a #t"dent li0e# in an a'ea that i# poo' and ha# a lo1 ta> )a#e doe# not mean that the$ #ho"ld #ee thi# economic #it"ation 'e*lected in thei' ed"cational atmo#phe'e ?"alit$ ed"cation i# not a p'i0ilege 'e#e'0ed *o' the 'ich@ it i# a 'ight *o' all #t"dent# 'ega'dle## o* thei' po#ition on the #ocioeconomic ladde' = +e'kime' +igh .chool ;'incipal &a'$ Toma#o appla"d# the e**o't# o* he' high #choolA# go0e'ning )od$ BA# o"' high #chool #enio'# e>plo'e po#t-#econda'$ oppo't"nitie# )e$ond +e'kime'% the$ )ecome keenl$ a1a'e o* the inhe'ent ed"cational ad0antage# thei' co"nte'pa't# *'om 1ealthie' di#t'ict# a'e p'i0$ to < commend o"' #t"dent leade'# *o' thei' initiati0e to tackle thi# impo'tant p")lic polic$ i##"e on )ehal* o* +e'kime'A# *"t"'e g'ad"ate#% and *o' all 1ho a'e di#ad0antaged )$ o"' #tateA# ed"cational *"nding #$#tem B The ++. .t"dent Co"ncil goe# on in thi# 'e#ol"tion to pledge to c'eate a 1ide#p'ead and p")lic mo0ement *o' the democ'atiCation o* p")lic ed"cation #ho"ld /o0e'no' C"omo choo#e to not take pe'0a#i0e action to *"nd p")lic #chool# *ai'l$ The ++. .t"dent Co"ncil *"'the' call# "pon othe' #t"dent go0e'nment# o* p")lic high #chool# to pa## #imila' 'e#ol"tion# ++. .t"dent Co"ncil ;'e#ident Daniel Adamek 1ill )e #peaking thi# Th"'#da$% &a'ch 6 at the :Dight *o' !"' 4alle$ .chool#= 'all$ The 'all$ 1ill )egin p'omptl$ at 6:36 ;& in the Eo)e't &cFa"ghlin College Cente' A"dito'i"m at +e'kime' College 1ith othe' ke$note #peake'# #"ch a# D' Eick Tim)#% E>ec"ti0e Di'ecto' o* the .tate1ide .chool Dinance Con#o'ti"m All #t"dent#% pa'ent#% ta>-pa$e'#% and comm"nit$ #takeholde'# a'e 1elcome and enco"'aged to attend GGG
Do' mo'e in*o'mation% plea#e contact Daniel Adamek at (315) 868-3953 o' at danielladamek@gmail com Attached i# a cop$ o* the mentioned 'e#ol"tion

Herkimer Junior Senior High School Student Council

Herkimer Junior Senior High School, 801 West German Street, Herkimer, New York 13350

RESOLUTION PASSED ON !" #"$ %#& !eman! "or "air "un!ing "or #ohawk $alle% schools
We, the elected members of the Herkimer Junior Senior High School Student Council, hereby enact the following: WHERE S there is an $8,601 gap between the amount of money spent per pupil in the richest and poorest districts in New York State, along with a difference of !" in the graduation rates between these two cohorts 1# WHERE S the $erkimer %entral School &istrict only offers two 'd(anced )lacement courses, no honors*le(el courses, non*e+istent business programs, bare*bones arts programs, limited counseling ser(ices, reduced e+tra*curricular options, archaic and ineffecti(e technology, and little to no e+periential learning opportunities due to budget constraints# WHERE S si+ty*si+ percent of $erkimer ,lementary School students recei(e free or reduced lunch , e+emplifying the $erkimer %entral School &istrict-s and its ad.acent school districts- dire need for ade/uate funds to allocate to core programs that combat po(erty by shaping students into college* and0or career*ready indi(iduals# WHERE S the 1ap ,limination 'd.ustment 21,'3 has stolen $456! million dollars from the ten districts encompassed in the $erkimer 78%,S since its inception 5# WHERE S New York State still owes $969 billion dollars to its public schools that it promised in 00! due to the %ampaign for :iscal ,/uity 4# WHERE S New York State has forced countless unfunded mandates onto its school districts9, lea(ing poor school districts e(en poorer# WHERE S the $erkimer %entral School &istrict has been in a state of perpetual attrition for more the fi(e years due to inade/uate funding# WHERE S students who attend schools in districts with high ta+ bases benefit from higher le(els of education as opposed to students who attend schools in districts with low ta+ bases like those of the ;ohawk <alley#

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WHERE S the State of New York has an ethical and moral obligation to pro(ide a sound education to all students regardless of their DE) code or status on the social and economic ladder# therefore !E "# RES$%&E' that the $erkimer Funior G Senior $igh School 2$$S3 Student %ouncil demands that 1o(ernor %uomo create a budget that pro(ides fair funding to high*need school districts, like those located in the ;ohawk <alley, and does so immediately# !E "# ()R#HER RES$%&E' that the $$S Student %ouncil implores 1o(ernor %uomo and the New York State 1o(ernment to impro(e New York-s rank as the 44 th best state in the nation for education funding e/uity 6 by taking per(asi(e action to fund schools appropriately in order to prepare students for a global economy and gi(ing them an e(en playing field regardless of their geographic location# !E "# ()R#HER RES$%&E' that the $$S Student %ouncil calls upon 1o(ernor %uomo to allocate the funds that were promised from the %ampaign for :iscal ,/uity to school districts as should ha(e been occurring annually since 00!, but has not happened since 00A# !E "# ()R#HER RES$%&E' that the $$S Student %ouncil demands that 1o(ernor %uomo ends the 1,' immediately and begins to fund mandates for school districts# !E "# ()R#HER RES$%&E' that the members of the $$S Student %ouncil are prepared to create a widespread and public mo(ement to democratiHe public education should 1o(ernor %uomo not immediately begin to radically impro(e the way that school districts are funded# and !E "# ()R#HER RES$%&E' that the $$S Student %ouncil asks other student go(ernments in New York State to pass resolutions similar to this6 Signed, ?????????????????? ???????????????? ?????????????????????????????? &aniel 'damek )resident, $erkimer $igh School

&ate of 'ppro(al

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