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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2023

DC 37 and Local 372 rally with City Councilmembers, community advocates to protect School Crossing Guard positions

NEW YORK— District Council 37 and Local 372 NYC Board of Education Employees, the union that represents New York City’s School Crossing Guards, convened City Council allies and community groups at a rally at Tweed Courthouse this morning to demand the restoration of 483 positions proposed for elimination in the budget. The cuts represent 18% of the full-strength School Crossing Guard workforce.

“It takes a village to keep a child safe, and our members are vital to safely getting our children to and from school. Yet School Crossing Guards are being treated as dispensable in this budget,” said Henry Garrido, District Council 37 Executive Director. “We’ve hit the lowest number of guards in the last 10 years. More cuts are a slap in the face to those who safeguard our most vulnerable, and to the families who rely on the City to help keep their loved ones safe.”

“We’re talking about our precious children here, our kids who need to get to school safely each and every day,” said Shaun D. Francois I, President of Local 372 and DC 37. “School Crossing Guards are staples of our communities— they know our kids, they know our neighborhoods, and they know how to keep us safe from harm. Now it’s our turn to protect their livelihoods. Hands off our School Crossing Guards!”

“New York City’s crossing guards keep our children safe from traffic violence and are indispensable to the safety of our communities,” said City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams. “Cutting these essential positions isn’t just a bad idea— it’s a dangerous one. Protecting our fiscal health shouldn’t come at the expense of our children’s safety, especially when crossing guards have been found to reduce the risk of traffic accidents involving children by up to 80 percent. I support Local 372 and DC 37’s demands that the Administration protect the one million public school students and our communities by filling vacant School Crossing Guard positions, not eliminating them.”

“In the quest for safer streets and protected children, I have zero tolerance for cutting New York City School Crossing Guard positions,” said City Councilmember Rita Joseph, Chair of the Education Committee. “For every child’s well-being and every parent’s peace of mind, let us never compromise on their safety, ensuring our city remains a haven for education, growth, and unwavering protection.”

“Crossing guards are a critical part of our city’s school safety infrastructure, and New York City should focus on ensuring crossing guards are supported and protected instead of cutting these essential workers,” said Elizabeth Adams, Deputy Executive Director for Public Affairs at Transportation Alternatives. “Last year, we lost a Vision Zero-era record of sixteen children to traffic violence — we should be taking every step to protect children, especially as they commute to and from school — instead of making choices that will make our streets even more dangerous for the smallest and most vulnerable New Yorkers.”

NYC’s School Crossing Guards protect approximately 1 million children enrolled in the public school system, keeping students safe on their way to and from school, and preventing traffic accidents in the surrounding areas.

DC 37 and Local 372 will continue advocating for the inclusion of these positions in the FY2024 City Budget.