“During my eleven years as a New York City public school teacher, I saw firsthand the impact that poverty has on the classroom. In low-income neighborhoods like Sunset Park, where I taught, students as young as five years old enter school affected by the stresses often created by poverty: domestic violence, drug abuse, gang activity.” YearsSchoolYoungCitiesPovertyFiveSawsTeacherViolenceNew YorkStudentsTaughtDrugActivityLowsAbuseStressImpactIncomeParksFive YearsSunsetNeighborhoodAffectedNew York CityClassroomDomestic ViolenceGangPublic SchoolElevenFive Year OldsSchool TeachersDrug AbuseLow Income Author:Sal Albanese
“By four years of age, the average child in a family receiving public assistance has heard about 13 million words, compared to 45 million for a child from a wealthier family. The disadvantages developed during their first four years are usually still present in high school.” YearsFirstsChildrenStillsAgeSchoolMillionsFourHeardHigh SchoolAverageFour YearsReceivingAssistanceDisadvantagesAdvantages And Disadvantages Author:Sal Albanese
“When I talk about the city, I talk about a city that elevates people, which is the strength of New York. We always had the ability to do that. We had the services to do that: good schools, living-wage jobs. We're moving away from that toward a two-tiered system: a small group of very wealthy people and the rest of the city, poor and working poor.” PeopleTwoSchoolJobsMovingAbilityPoorCitiesGroupsNew YorkWealthySmall GroupsMoving AwayLiving WageGood School Author:Sal Albanese