The NYC Administration of Children's Services (ACS) funds many things that primarily benefit low income, minority, or children in the foster care system so it seems criminal that these very children in need are the ones who are losing daycare services. The Mayor's recent budget would cut funding for 16 city subsidised daycares. These daycares are often located near city housing projects and have a rigorous set of income standards that must be met in order to attend them. These are children that, in some cases, have no where else to go during the day. Many of them come from single, working parent households. And since these daycares start at age 2, there is potentially an entire generation of youngsters who will have no chance to start out on the right educational path.
According to city guidelines, if you make more than the low income standards you can apply to be a 'private pay' client. It is through this program that my child has attended these daycares for the past two years. At his first school, my son was the only white child in a school of almost entirely African-American children. His teacher told me that my child, 'doesn't see color'. It was this praise I was most proud of, of all his accomplishments from the potty to numbers. What a shame that these children, and the relationships they learn at places like this, will no longer be accessible.
Please call 311 and tell the Mayor to continue funding Brooklyn daycares.
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