Fewer School Programs: Protest: Day Care Reduction Will Hurt

Fewer School Programs
Protest: Day Care Reduction Will Hurt

By HOWARD MEGDAL

For Washington Heights parent Shakira Carter, the reorganization of the city's after-school day care programs will do more than save the city some money.

The Chief-Leader/Adrienne Haywood-James PERSUASIVE PROTESTERS: Mia Carter (left) and Remy Gomez were among those at City Hall asking Mayor Bloomberg to reconsider plans to shut 60 after-school day-care facilities this fall. Mia's mother, Shakira, said the lack of a viable alternative would force her to leave her job and return to public assistance so she could care for her. It will put her back on the public assistance rolls.

Too Late For School

"It's too late to register her in kindergarten," Ms. Carter said of her four-year-old daughter, Mia. "I'd have to leave my job to take care of her, and go back on welfare. And I don't ever want to go back there."

Ms. Carter joined members of District Council 1707, which represents many city day care supervisors, City Council Members and other concerned parents on the steps of City Hall May 24 to protest the city's proposal to close 133 after-school day care facilities run by the Administration for Children's Services.

A stripped-down program would resume - with 60 fewer facilities - this fall under the auspices of the Department of Youth and Community Development. DC 1707 said the change will leave 5,700 children with nowhere to go after school, with many of the 73 remaining centers designed to serve only the schools where they're based.

"I'm a parent myself," DC 1707 President Kim Medina said at the press conference. "If these changes come, my daughter will not get the day care she deserves."

Many Obstacles Ahead

Ms. Medina cited longer bus rides, higher transportation costs and less-experienced supervisors as drawbacks of the new program. A call to Youth Commissioner Jeanne B. Mullgrav was not returned, while a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg declined to comment.

A number of City Council Members pledged to restore funding for the program during the ongoing budget negotiations.

"I will do everything in my power to see that the money is restored," Councilman David I. Weprin said.

Councilman Charles Barron registered disgust that funding was provided for new stadiums to the city's baseball teams before the day care program.

"This is the priority, not the Yankees," Mr. Barron said. "We have $160 million for the Yankees, $108 million for the Mets - and nothing for the children? In a $53 billion budget, you don't have $20 million for children in our poorest neighborhoods?"

The consequences for those children would be dire, according to Shakeerah Shuford, who supervises Mia.

"The program is so family-oriented," Ms. Shuford said. "It's just love - and full-day pre-k. The loss would be devastating. Children would be out on the street."

Mia's mother said that her daughter was the third generation of her family to take advantage of the program. Asked about the program as she held a sign in support of it, Mia said, "I would miss my friends. I would miss my family."