Cardozo Students Protest DOE Funding Cuts

Hundreds of students from Bayside's Benjamin N. Cardozo High School held a rally Wednesday to protest the city's decision to cut thousands of dollars from the school's budget as the result of a bookkeeping error.

Students held up signs reading "Refund Cardozo" and chanted "save our school" and "the DOE robbed us overnight."

The city's Department of Education is forcing the high school to repay $400,000 at a rate of $130,000 pee year due to a clerical error.

"Students are realizing that due to bureaucracy and miscommunication, their programs could get eliminated," said state Assemblyman Edward Braunstein,D-Bayside, who attended the rally.

The cuts at the school could lead to the loss of advanced placement courses, sports and supportive services.

"I have two AP classes and they could both get cut," said sophomore Maya Constant, who is in the Gateway school program. "I could get kicked out (of Gateway) if I'm not in AP courses."

Ron Naclerios, the school's basketball coach, said the DOE's decision could have a negative impact on the school, which is often ranked among the city's best.

"We get the best of the best coming here," he said. "If kids can't take advanced placement classes and don't get the chance to reach greatness, it might affect us down the road."

And Community Board 11 member Steve Behar, who attended the protest, said the DOE should not strip the school's funding.

"This was a clerical error by the DOE," he said. "Therefore, the students shouldn't be penalized. People move their families to this community because if the schools."