February12,2015

Mr.KyleRosenkrans,CEO
NortheastCharterSchoolsNetwork
915Broadway,Suite110
Albany,NY12207

DearMr.Rosenkrans:

NewsreportsofyourcorrespondencedirectedtotheleadersofNYSUTandUFTwerebroughttomyattention.

Havingreadthecorrespondence,itwasquitedisappointingtoseesomeoneinyourpositionopposedtoafull,
honestandpublicdiscussionofthefutureofpubliceducationinourstate.And,whobetterpositionedto
informthatdebatethantheteachersthathavededicatedtheirlivestoeducatingandnurturingourchildren.

Discussingtheissueofpubliceducationinourstateisoneinwhichthereshouldbewidespreadinput,notjust
fromcharterschoolCEOs,butfromunions,parents,families,communitygroupsandcivicleaders.

Youaskwhereteachershavebeeninthefightforeducation.Theyvebeenintheclassroom.Theyvebeen
leadingthechargeforadequatefundingforallchildren.Theyvebeenfightingforsmallerclasssizes.Theyve
beenpointingouttheoverrelianceonhighstakestestingwhichhasleftparentsandstudentstoooftenin
tears.

Inshort,theyvebeenwhereyoushouldbe,andallNewYorkersshouldbe.Soratherthansimplyadvocating
toexpandthecharterschoolempire,whydontyoujoinparents,teachers,andstudentsincallingforreal
solutions.

Letsdealwiththecoreproblemsofpoverty,malnutrition,substanceabuse,anddevelopmental,behavioral
andotherissuescausedbysocioeconomiccircumstances.Letsdealwiththefundingdiscrepancybetween
wealthyandpoorschooldistrictsandtheresultingachievementgap.Letscalloutthemassivetestingindustry
whichputsitslucrativecontractsabovelearning.

Andforthemeetingsyoubringupinthecorrespondence,yesthisisacrisis.Yes,thisisanemergencyand
yesthisisbadforthefutureofpubliceducation.Thiscrisiswillonlybesolvedwhenteachersaretreated
withrespectandtheirvoicesareheard.

Sincerely,

MarioCilento
President

MC:msa/opeiu153