In NYC's illegal alien first approach, vulnerable students come last

More for illegals, less for disadvantaged students

NYC school children in were recently forced into distance learning to make room for illegals housed in a school gym. Now, may students in government schools may again lose out to illegal aliens. Law Enforcement Today’s Eddie Killian reports that 16,000 at-risk students may be deprived of participation in the Learn to Work program. 

That program offers “lesson structures that capture the students creativity,” paid internships “promoting real world experience” and other support they need to complete their studies and graduate from high school. Directing assistance to illegal aliens first means the city can only fund $8 million (1/5) of the $40 million program. 

The shortfall would have already led to cuts in the program, but the city has been relying on federal emergency COVID funding, set to expire June 30, to make up the shortfall. 

Killian reposted Libs of TikTok’s tweet on X (formerly Twitter), which called out NYC’s cuts to the police and school closures, in order to provide housing and $53 million in pre-paid debit cards for illegals:

A better future for at-risk kids no longer assured

According to Killian, the Learn to Work program isn’t just a nice addition to the school system; it plays an important role in enabling at-risk children to have a better future. He shared the experiences of one student who said it enabled her to focus on her education and graduate from high school:

Utilizing the Learning to Work program, Ariana Rivadeneira, aged 22, completed her studies at West Brooklyn Community High School in 2023. Reflecting on her experience, Rivadeneira remarked, "I was able to channel my focus and realign my entire educational trajectory towards school." She successfully graduated a year ago and currently serves as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT).

The practical work experiences, she said, provided Rivadeneira and her fellow students with an opportunity to "explore what life could offer beyond the confines of academia – it wasn't just about school or the obligation to graduate."

Network of alternative programs just an afterthought

The New York Center for Interpersonal Development (NYCID), runs three Learning to Work programs in Staten Island and Brooklyn. Killian quoted the organization’s executive director, Michael De Vito Jr., who stated that the program is facing a shortfall because of money going to support aliens, noting: 

. . . the city's focus on addressing the migrant crisis as one contributing factor to the program's financial crunch. The broader economic challenges and competing priorities present Mayor Eric Adams and the City Council with the complex task of filling the budgetary gap while addressing the needs of vulnerable students.

“We constantly have to remind people that we even exist,” De Vito said. “It seems like the network [of alternative programs] at large is just an afterthought.”

The impact of the migrant crisis on the Learning to Work program has raised concerns. De Vito suggests that the influx of illegal immigrants is affecting the flow of funding to the program, as resources are redirected to address the challenges posed by the growing migrant population.

Socio-economic assistance important part of program 

Chalkbeat New York writer Alex Zimmereman also stressed what he believes to be a tremendous difference the program makes in the lives of children who would otherwise drop out of high school. Downtown Brooklyn’s Young Adult Borough Center, one of a network of programs financed by the Learn to Work program, would be one of those affected by the cuts. Zimmerman related how the program provides socioeconomic assistance to the program’s participants, not just an educational opportunity: 

After one of Clara Delgado’s students gave birth late last year, she quickly arranged a home visit.

. . . Delgado arrived with a counselor in tow, donated baby clothes, and made sure the student could log in to Google Classroom to complete assignments remotely.

Delgado hoped the message was clear: The school would do whatever it could to help the teen finish the two classes she needed to graduate.

Students who benefit from the program, he wrote, have either not been doing well in traditional schools or come from difficult backgrounds and housing situations: 

Those students include those who have struggled to pass classes at traditional schools, are caught up in the criminal justice system, are parents themselves, or are living in temporary housing.

College planning and work experience 

The program, he continues, provides staffers who assist students in continuing their education, even helping them prepare for college and craft career plans. The program also gives the students important work experience:

To help get those students back on track, Learning to Work pairs alternative schools with community organizations that provide extra staff who help ensure students show up to school, get connected to social services, and even help craft college and career plans. It also funds thousands of paid internships, which can give students valuable work experience and create an incentive to attend school rather than dropping out to support themselves.

Delgado, Zimmerman reported, emphasized the socio-emotional assistance provided by their staffers which is important in making sure the students can lift burdens off their shoulders so they can continue to learn and graduate:

“A lot of [our work] is social-emotional,” said Delgado, a program manager at Good Shepherd Services, a nonprofit organization that partners with the Brooklyn night program. “They need somebody to take that off their plate so they can be successful with the academics.” The student who gave birth earned a diploma last month and plans to enroll at the Borough of Manhattan Community College this fall.

Politics at play

As Killian relates, the city has no concrete plan for keeping the program alive — the city believes illegals get preference over its vulnerable citizens:

Despite the program's positive impact, a City Department of Education representative stated that the funding for the Learning to Work program remains uncertain. While emphasizing the importance of creating and deepening career pathway opportunities for young people, the spokesperson provided no concrete plan for financing the program beyond the expiring federal stimulus dollars.

. . . 

“We’re being told the city has to focus on other priorities, that the city needs additional resources for the migrants,” De Vito said. “It’s becoming political. We don’t want to be political. We want our young people taken care of.”