Questions the Media Should Ask Candidates Teachout and Astorino About Education

Howie Hawkins, Green Party candidate for Governor, released “Eight Questions the Media Should Ask the Candidates About Education” in response to rumors of a joint press conference between Republican candidate Rob Astorino and one of Andrew Cuomo's primary challengers, Zephyr Teachout:

1. Do you support weakening teacher tenure?

Howie Hawkins: I support teacher tenure.

2. Do you believe the state should do more to promote charter schools, including co-location?

Hawkins: I oppose charter schools as another form of education privatization.

3. Do you think segregation is a major problem in NYS Schools, and if so, what would you do to correct it?

Hawkins: Yes. Segregation is a major problem. We need to invest in more public and affordable housing in the suburbs and cities: scattered-site, mixed-income, mixed-race, clean energy positive, carbon negative – this is a program not only for desegregation in schools, but also for jobs, housing, energy and residential race and class desegregation.

4. Do you support replacing high-stakes testing of students, teachers, and schools with qualitative, collaborative assessments of students and teachers?

Hawkins: Yes 

5. NYS schools are cumulatively underfunded by $9 billion. Would you commit to fully funding schools, especially in poor inner city and rural districts, and how would you fund it?

Hawkins: Yes, we can fully fund our public schools by raising taxes on the wealthiest 5% and keeping the stock transfer tax rebate.

6. Should New York provide free universal school meals to all students?

Hawkins: Yes

7. Do you support free tuition at CUNY and SUNY?

Hawkins: yes

8. Do you support amending or repealing the Triborough Amendment to to give school districts more leverage with teachers unions in negotiating salaries and health care and pension benefits?

Hawkins: No