Educating Tomorrow

Here's an idea... what if everyone (parents, teacher, students, and the public at large) wrote their own passion letter to Chancellor Klein to persuade him to pay attention to recycling in schools and take action. Why not submit your 350 words or less letter to Klein now?

Here's the letter I wrote:

I am a math teacher in my 6th year working for the DOE in NYC. I became aware of the recycling problem when I saw old dirty recycling bins used as garbage cans throughout the building and every DOE school building I've been in since that first day. So frustrated and bothered by this situation, in 2004, I started a school-wide recycling program at my school, I.S. 33, with a grant for $1,500 from Donors Choose to buy new bins, and garbage bins for each classroom, bottle containers for cafeteria, main office, and teachers lounge, collection bags, gloves, and wheeled containers. I acquired training materials from the Sanitation Department and conducted assemblies to the student body. I recruited student volunteers to collect the recyclables. We experienced many problems including, custodians throwing away recyclables, cafeteria staff not recycling properly, and the Department of Sanitation not coming to pick up the curbside recycling for weeks on end.

I wrote the award submission for the Golden Apple Awards and received honorable mention, since ours was one out of 3 schools in the building recycling. Only a handful of schools participate in this contest since it's clear that very few schools have recycling programs. Because of lack of an infrastructure to support my efforts or any type of compensation for my tremendous efforts, I have little motivation to take on such a burdensome task in the future. I was inspired by the NY Post's article on the school recycling situation.

The DOE has a big job to undertake in order to abide by your own regulation with regards to school recycling. But we are in the business of educating the future, yet we are mis-educating them, if the teaching of recycling isn't on the bill. I want to rally support for a massive recycling initiative in this city. I'm forming a group to take action and am asking for your support and assistance with this matter.