NYC mayor Bill de Blasio weighs in on palmetto state education

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio spoke with Lowcountry teachers and education advocates Sunday on how he reformed education in his city during his five years in office.

De Blasio focused on the need for “fair funding” of the education system. The mayor said the key to having a successful system is having the money in place to maintain it.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says he and his team have changed education in New York City schools for the better after he was able to secure $125 million for the district. That money is used to provide educational supplies and even hire more teachers at the discretion of the principal of a NYC school.

Currently, there are several bills in the state level that he spoke about that would give teachers things like a lunch break or even a pay raise.

During a roundtable discussion, de Blasio spoke with other local leaders and educational officials to see how his ideas can help push towards more educational rights and fair funding in South Carolina schools.

“We have an education issue all across the country, teachers are standing up for themselves and demanding respect, which is what they deserve,” de Blasio says.

Education advocates say the Palmetto State really should take some of his suggestions to heart because funding is just the beginning of what is needed.

“Teachers are walking out of the classroom and not walking back in, there needs to be something done and he had some good ideas,” Sherry East, the South Carolina Education Association president says.

East says so far this year’s decisions made by legislators have been disappointing, so they hope they will take advice from this public official to another.

Public hearings are being held across the state beginning in the month of March so that voices can be heard while the bills impacting teachers and students are moving through the house.

One of those hearings will be in Georgetown at the Georgetown High School auditoriums from 6-8pm on March 21.

There will also be a hearing in the upstate at the Gaffney High School auditorium at the same time on March 18.

Copyright 2019 WCSC. All rights reserved.