While pleased that the Batavia City Council voted to support the My Brother’s Keeper initiative designed to help boys and young men of color with their academic progress, Batavia City School District Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. believes that some clarification about the program is warranted.
“Regarding the My Brother’s Keeper story (that was posted on The Batavian on Tuesday – the day following the City Council meeting where the measure was discussed at length before passage), I believe there was some unfamiliarity with what the grant was requiring and the tight timeline for submission to the New York State Education Department created some additional angst,” Soler said.
According to documents provided to Council members by Interim City Manager Rachael Tabelski, the school district came to the city, seeking a municipal partner in order to apply for the NYSED grant, with a Feb. 1 deadline being set for this year’s grant cycle.
Goals of the program, an extension of an initiative promoted by former President Barack Obama several years ago, include forging teacher/community relationships to address learning needs at every grade level; enhancing family relationships; creating a culturally diverse and engaging atmosphere for learning; and utilizing school, family and community to provide the best opportunities for academic, social and emotional growth.
As explained by Tabelski in a memo to City Council, the city’s role would include advertising the MBK program, providing public meeting room space, and providing mentors and homework assistance at the Liberty Center for Youth afterschool program.
Soler said he followed up with City Council President Eugene Jankowski Jr. after the meeting to “clarify any confusion or answer any additional questions he may have had, and thanked him for his support.”
“The MBK grant is supplemental funds to support the district's efforts on increasing the academic achievement and college and career readiness of boys and young men of color by sustaining effective relationships with families,” Soler said. “The grant doesn't obligate the city for any services; it just allows them to endorse and or partner in our efforts to pursue this funding opportunity and if we receive this grant we would be able to supplement any city efforts on family and community engagement.”
Jankowski, during Monday night’s meeting, said he was concerned about the last-minute timing of the grant and also about the cost to the city, especially considering that city officials are in the midst of developing the 2021-22 budget.
The city council president ultimately voted in favor of supporting MBK as did the other Council members in attendance, except for Rose Mary Christian, who said she was going to contact the Civil Liberties Union about the legality of an initiative that targeted a specific group.
When asked why he voted in favor of it, Jankowski said he believes the program has merit, but needed “to understand how this would impact our community, and there was a tight time deadline.”
“After doing some research, getting some answers during the Council meeting and the reassurance of Council Member Patti Pacino, a retired teacher, I felt comfortable voting yes,” he said.
When it was mentioned that it seemed to be something that the school district and Genesee County were negotiating over originally, Jankowski said he wasn’t sure of that, but is “hopeful that the city/school partnership for this program will turn out to be a positive one.”
Christian, contacted this morning, said she did call the CLU but did not receive a response.
“I just felt bad because they didn’t include girls,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what nationality they are or what heritage, it just didn’t include them. Like (Council Member) John Canale said, it’s for Hispanic, people of color, the Black community – that’s fine – but what about Caucasian?”
Christian said students across the cultural spectrum need help “and our teachers should be available to give as much help as possible to all that need it.”
Previously: Council members voice objections but vote to support My Brother's Keeper school initiative
