Talk Out of School

NYC Council Member Danny Dromm on his experiences as a 4th grade teacher in Queens, as a LGBTQ Activist, and now powerful Chair of the Finance Committee

Episode Summary

Former teacher & NYC Council Finance chair Danny Dromm has been a champion for student rights and quality public schools. He spoke to Leonie about his experiences with large class sizes in Queens, why he risked his job by coming out as gay at his school, why he ran for a Council seat challenging an incumbent, and why he and the City Council have made reducing class size a priority for next year’s budget. Dromm also discussed his views on restorative justice in schools, testing, charter schools, and the rights of ultra-Orthodox children to receive a sound basic education.

Episode Notes

Resources:

• Danny Dromm’s activism in advocating for gay rights and on the Rainbow Curriculum
• Mayor de Blasio’s budget proposal for FY 2022
• City Council’s budget response
• Regent Kathy Cashin’s Daily News op-ed on the importance of lowering class size
• NYS Senate bill S. 6296 to require NYC to update their class size reduction plan
• Class Size Matters report on DOE over-payments for charter school rent and underpayments to NYC public schools in matching funds for facility enhancements