Reed does a great job mapping out the covid-19 pandemic and its effects on education at CUNY. Just like the “retrenchment period” between 1978-1992, the city and state budgets are getting cut and impacting the lives of many people including CUNY staff and students. Workers lost their jobs due to CUNY staffing conflict and tuition for students at the university increased drastically. The 2020 pandemic has impacted the CUNY system in just about the same way. With the economy falling, and quarantine making it impossible for workers to go to work and for students to obtain proper education, this all comes at a price. Reed’s stance is that the education system is equally as important and deserves to get funded properly. Reed goes on to talk about the many actions and reforms being taken to ensure that the system does not win over us.
The Latinx Student Alliance group demands more diversity in their curriculum by mentioning the importance to be inclusive when learning about our history. They mention that also by having diversity in the curriculum, the students are able to feel like they can do it as well and in a way feel more encouraged to do great things in the future. She uses the fact that Lehman College is primarily filled with minority group students yet the textbooks, professors, and the education they are receiving do not reflect their backgrounds and in a way, it can also be classified as racial discrimination. It’s this idea of inclusion instead of exclusion and to be considerate at all times. Respectfully, I agree with them and do believe that if the information and education we receive somehow connect to us, especially in an English course, it makes me feel more engaged and generally happy that my racial background is being mentioned and represented.
Reed suggests that anti-racist and anti-austerity groups at CUNY should not just be a bystander or have a small voice, instead they should be an activist voice themselves loud and clear and who forces change to happen. Use strategy and utilize well to change not just one issue but multiple at the same time. Be demanding and be very straightforward with the changes wanted, how to change and what is expected. Use the power we have wisely.