Ms. Rachel Is Not Happy About New York’s Child-Care Budget Cuts
Ms. Rachel Criticizes Eric Adams's New York Child-Care Cuts The Cut
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To New York parents’ horror, Mayor Eric Adams continues to slash funding for early-childhood-education initiatives
Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photos: Getty Images
To New York parents’ horror, Mayor Eric Adams continues to slash funding for the city’s early-childhood-education initiatives, including its free 3-K and prekindergarten programs. New Yorkers United for Child Care told CBS last month that the Adams administration has cut almost $400 million from such programs since 2022, leaving families desperate for affordable child care. In 2025, the city reportedly plans to cut another 14 percent of the budget. That is, until Ms. Rachel has something to say about it.
Rachel Accurso, or Ms. Rachel as she is known to her 9.2 million YouTube subscribers, rose to popularity with her Songs for Littles series
Rachel Accurso, or Ms. Rachel as she is known to her 9.2 million YouTube subscribers, rose to popularity with her Songs for Littles series, in which she and her Broadway-composer husband sing and teach lessons to toddlers. Now, the New York–based former preschool teacher is wading into politics, using her platform to criticize the Adams-approved budget cuts.
“Parents are really struggling to find affordable, high-quality child care,” Accurso said in a TikTok on Tuesday. “Here in New York City, our mayor cut $400 million from early-childhood-education programs and is proposing more cuts.”
“All children having access to the option of high-quality early-childhood education is going to help the children for their whole lives and is literally going to create a better world
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 5: Gender Equality
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
The article discusses the budget cuts to early-childhood-education initiatives and the impact on families’ access to affordable child care. These issues are connected to SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all. The article also highlights the advocacy efforts of Ms. Rachel, a former preschool teacher, which align with SDG 5’s goal of achieving gender equality. Additionally, the article mentions the struggle of parents to find affordable child care, indicating a potential connection to SDG 10, which focuses on reducing inequalities.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education.
- SDG 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family.
- SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.
The targets identified are directly related to the issues discussed in the article. SDG 4.2 emphasizes the importance of ensuring access to quality early childhood development and preprimary education, which is being affected by the budget cuts mentioned in the article. SDG 5.4 highlights the need to recognize and value unpaid care work, which is often performed by parents seeking affordable child care options. SDG 10.2 focuses on promoting social and economic inclusion for all, regardless of their economic status, which is relevant to the struggle of families to find affordable child care.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Access to quality early childhood development and preprimary education
- Recognition and valuation of unpaid care work
- Social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of economic status
The article does not explicitly mention specific indicators to measure progress towards the identified targets. However, the indicators can be inferred from the issues discussed. For example, the number of children enrolled in quality early childhood development and preprimary education programs can be used as an indicator for SDG 4.2. The recognition and valuation of unpaid care work can be measured through policies and initiatives that support parents in accessing affordable child care options. The social and economic inclusion of all can be assessed by monitoring the availability and affordability of child care services for families of different economic statuses.
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 4: Quality Education | 4.2: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care, and preprimary education so that they are ready for primary education. | Access to quality early childhood development and preprimary education |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | 5.4: Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family. | Recognition and valuation of unpaid care work |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status. | Social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of economic status |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: thecut.com
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