Statement as submitted by candidate

Hello, Bronx Families! My name is Deborah Alexander and I am the proud public school mom of two. I have been a member of CCHS for the past year representing the Bronx and am the current 2nd Vice-President. Prior to CCHS I served on CEC30 for 10 years (4 years as Co-President). I believe in the power of public education, particularly when parents have access to information. You don't know what you don't know! The Bronx is often overlooked and misunderstood. Small schools and co-locations continue to frustrate parents. Language barriers prevent participation by many parents. *Every* student in the Bronx deserves access to rigorous, high-quality schools. Without parent advocacy, in the next two years, the implementation of the well-intentioned class size law is going to create problems, particularly at large high schools. I served on the DOE's Class Size Working Group and can help ensure that the Bronx is prepared and can push back. In my time as a Council member, I have been a part of the NYS Integration Pilot committee, helped increase access to G&T seats, particularly in underserved communities, wrote the resolution that led to mandatory Language Access Coordinators in every school, and worked with PA/PTAs as well as individual parents to ensure that all parents are not only listened to but heard. I believe we need to celebrate and promote diversity, both in who we are and what we think. We live in the greatest city in the world with one of the most problematic school systems and I hope to continue advocating for parents' right to have a seat at the decision-making table as we work to improve education and equity for all our children. NO PARENT SHOULD FEEL POWERLESS OVER THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION! Thanks for your time and attention.