Gotham Gazette

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Opinion

Opinion

Giving New Yorkers a Fair Chance at Employment


Fair-Chance-Act-Photo

Authors Williams, center, and Brewer, to his right


Having a past conviction or arrest should not prevent someone from being able to put food on the table or pay rent. The Fair Chance Act ensures that all New Yorkers, including those who have become stigmatized because of previous convictions, will have an equal opportunity to compete for jobs for which they qualify. Today is a National Day of Action urging President Obama to adopt a fair chance hiring policy for federal contractors. To mark the occasion, the New York City Council is expected to vote on and pass the NYC Fair Chance Act and join 17 states and more than 100 cities and counties who have already adopted similar legislation.

Read more: Giving New Yorkers a Fair Chance at Employment

To Continue Making Progress, We Need Mayoral Control


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Mayor de Blasio at school (photo: @NYCMayorsOffice)


Since taking office, Mayor Bill de Blasio has made our City's 1.1 million school children a priority: providing free, full-day, high-quality pre-kindergarten for every four-year-old; giving historically struggling schools aggressive resources they need to turn around; providing members of Citywide and Community Education Councils robust training; expanding dual-language programs for English Language Learners; encouraging collaborative pedagogy; and giving parents a meaningful voice in public education. These reforms would all be nearly impossible for the system to accomplish without the alignment of the Mayor's vision, Chancellor Carmen Fariña's leadership, and, ultimately, mayoral control of our city's schools.

Read more: To Continue Making Progress, We Need Mayoral Control

Condom Demonstrations a Positive Step but Not Enough


Joan Malin PPNYC

Joan Malin, the author


When Planned Parenthood of New York City sex educators have taught high school students in classrooms how to properly use condoms, one thing has been missing from the lessos: actual condoms.

Our educators are highly skilled and have provided education on proper condom use without actually conducting demonstrations, but they haven't been able to teach students using the most effective method. That is now changing—the city's Department of Health and Department of Education are now allowing condom demonstrations in high school classrooms as part of sex education. This is a positive step and a vital tool for learning—but it's not enough.

Read more: Condom Demonstrations a Positive Step but Not Enough



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