State regent blasts Trump for shutdown
Ouderkirk was among more than 100 people on hand for a legislative breakfast at the BOCES F. Donald Myers Educational Center
SARATOGASPRINGS, N.Y. >> A leading state education official Friday criticized President Donald Trump for the partial government shutdown, which she says is contributing to a nationwide atmosphere of fear.
New York State Board of Regents member Beverly Ouderkirk was among the more than 100 people on hand for a legislative breakfast at the BOCES F. Donald Myers Educational Center, on Henning Road.
Tens of thousands of federal employees are out of work, and many services have been interrupted by the second-longest shutdown in U. S. government history, which reached its 21st day on Friday. Without a quick resolution, a new record will be set this weekend, by eclipsing a shutdown that lasted 21 days from Dec. 16, 1995, to Jan. 5, during the Clinton administration.
The shutdown is the result of an impasse over Trump’s request for $5 billion to construct a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, which congressional Democrats oppose.
“I think it’s having an effect already because of the fear that it’s planting in people and how many people are going to be impacted by this and the whole climate,” said Ouderkirk, of Morristown. She co- chairs the Regents’ State Aid Subcommittee, which develops Regents funding requests submitted to the Legislature.
“The president seems [to] get his jollies out making other peo- ple uncomfortable and he also doesn’t seem to have an ounce of empathy,” Ouderkirk said. “One of the things that bothers me the most is the example that he sets that we don’t want our kids to emulate — how he treats other people, how he treats the office the presidency.”
“We’re going through a difficult time,” she said. “The thing that makes me feel the best is the opportunity to get out in our schools and see the good things that are going on. Young people will help us get through this and lead the way.”
Ouderkirk also pointed out the need for state lawmakers to approve funding for key educational programs.
“It’s wonderful that we have some new faces [in the Legislature] and the enthusiasm that comes with that, but they have yet to learn some of the things that are going to be the greatest challenge,” she said. “There’s some things we’ve been working on for several years now to get movement on, but the governor has yet to support them.”
“He talks a good game, but there are times when he doesn’t play the game the way I’d like to see it,” she said.
Ouderkirk said she’s especially concerned about a growing nationwide poverty problem, and its impact on education. It’s one of many “walls” lawmakers must work through to help children, she said.
Fort Edward Superintendent of Schools Daniel Ward said during Friday’s program that 70 percent of his district’s students are below the poverty line.
In late November, Farmers Insurance awarded South Glens Falls teacher Jaime Metivier $100,000 to continue her “Kindness Closet,” a project that supplies underprivileged families with clothing and basic
home supplies. Superintendent of Schools Kristine Orr has said nearly one-third, or approximately 1,000 of the district’s 3,100 students have some type of economic need.
“It’s huge how it impacts kids,” Ouderkirk said. “Kids can’t learn well under those kinds of circumstances when the basic needs are not met. I amimpressed by what districts are doing without any particular extra money to help deal with this issue. But I hope we can correct it.”
The legislative breakfast gives school superintendents from the local BOCES region a chance to outline their top priorities to area state legislators. Newly- elected state Sen. Daphne Jordan, R-Halfmoon, was on hand along with Assembly members Carrie Woerner, D-Round Lake; Mary Beth Walsh, R-
Ballston; and Dan Stac, RQueensbury.
School officials have identified an adjustment to the Foundation Aid Formula, which funds the Free and Reduced Price Lunch program, as their highest priority for 2019 because of major increases in the numbers of children eligible for this initiative.
“It’s increased dramatically over the past few years,” said Andrew Cook, Hartford Central Schools superintendent.
Fourteen area school districts have seen a 45 percent or more increase in Free and Reduced Price Lunch numbers since 2010-11 including Ballston Spa (50.41 pct), Corinth (45.20 pct), Galway (51.89 pct), South Glens Falls (64.75 pct) and Saratoga Springs (51.17 pct).