“The Department of Education (DOE) seems to be addicted to restructuring. They did it numerous times with our local school boards and they’re doing it over and over again with our public high schools. This corporate mentality of focusing on structure rather than academics does very little to improve educational achievement in New York City, which is why I oppose any co-location of new schools in DeWitt Clinton High School.

“The DOE has conducted a reign of terror against large high schools throughout the city. The fact is that Clinton was thriving until the creation of the DOE under this administration, and all of its problems have coincided with the existence of the DOE. There has to be room in our system for both large high schools and small high schools, and Clinton is one of the few large high schools left. Large high schools can offer students many things that the smaller schools cannot, whether its AP classes or an advanced sports program. I always found it amazing that the DOE thought it cost effective to eliminate a large high school and replace it with 8 small high schools in the same building, which would require 8 principals and 8 of everything else, significantly increasing costs.

“The DOE should focus its attention on strengthening Clinton, not destroying it. I feel very strongly about this, not only because the school is in my district, but because my father and one of my brothers graduated from this school. I call on the DOE to give Clinton a chance and put its energy into fixing the school."