We are the plaintiffs of Wright v. New York, and this is why we are fighting for educational justice for all parents.

“Laying off our teachers, just on the basis of seniority, doesn’t take our students’ needs into consideration. I think that is wrong.”

My name is Mona Pradia and I’m from Rochester, NY. I have been working with children in and out of schools, off-and-on, for nearly 20 years. I am fighting on behalf of my daughter, Adia-Jendayi, who is 14 years old. When my daughter was in 4th grade, she had teachers who communicated regularly with me and implemented a plan to make sure my daughter was on the right track. Before she entered the 5th grade, I learned that the teachers who were supposed to continue with Adia’s academic plan were laid off. They were chosen for layoffs because they had less seniority than other teachers in the school. Adia’s 5th grade more “senior” teachers lacked classroom management skills, and were ineffective in engaging students in the educational process. Adia did not thrive in the classroom that year. She and other students should not be cheated out of a quality education.