(NEW YORK CITY) - Hundreds of New Yorkers from dozens of Organized Labor, parent, Education and Civil Rights groups stood shoulder to shoulder in Manhattan earlier this week to urge Governor Kathy Hochul to reject President Donald Trump's taxpayer-funded Private School Voucher Program.

Together the groups called on the Governor to opt out of the program, which would reroute public tax dollars to private schools.

"It is a tax scheme and it is not about investing in our students, investing in our children. The point is divestment from Public Schools," said L. Joy Williams, who serves as President of the NAACP New York State Conference. “We have as a State - this Legislature, this Governor -invested and continue to invest in Public Education. Continue that trend. Continue that path. Don't opt us into this destruction of our public schools.”

New York State United Teachers (NYSUT) President Melinda Person said: "Some will tell us this is about free money from the Federal Government. There is ‘no such thing as free’ money. At a moment right now where Washington is planning cuts to (Title I) and IDEA - the fundamental Federal programs that fund students in poverty and students with special needs - they're planning to cut those programs as this grows across the Nation. We cannot let this happen.”

Because these private schools could accept public money with no public accountability, they would remain free to reject students for nearly any reason, raising real concerns about whether public dollars would be used equitably and fairly.

"Vouchers are not about school choice," American Federation of Teachers (AFT) President Randi Weingarten said. “Vouchers are about allowing private schools to pick and choose who they admit, leaving the most vulnerable children behind.”

Ninety-percent of New York's children attend Public Schools and New Yorkers agree that's where the money should stay.

In recent polling more than 60% of voters said taxpayer dollars are better spent improving Public Schools, compared to just 8% who favor sending them to private school vouchers.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Hundreds call on Gov. Hochul to reject Trump voucher scheme

NYSUT-Provided Photo.