Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer & Corporate Secretary, Innospec
Search every verified David Jones interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. At the NYCETC 2018 Conference, David Jones discussed workforce development and education equity. He stated that "the chief way for people out of poverty has become work, but it can't be just any work; it has to be well paid work with benefits and other supports." Jones noted that the Community Service Society (CSS) has shifted its focus to this approach and has emphasized working with unions. He also commented on New York City's segregated school system, saying that "New York City is the most diverse but also the most segregated school district in the country." Jones criticized the test prep industry for specialized high school admissions, describing it as "a huge system" requiring "extraordinary expenditures" that shuts out students without financial means. Jones also discussed legal and policy actions taken by CSS, including a lawsuit on "unfair fare evasion arrests" to obtain data on potential racial bias. He expressed support for the de Blasio administration's progressive initiatives but said "the promise of a hundred thousand good-paying jobs is still a dream." Jones advocated for solutions such as granting automatic admission to the top tier of every high school, citing the University of Texas as an example. He also called for universal summer youth employment programs, stating they are "crucial" for opening opportunities for young people in isolated neighborhoods.
“The chief way for people out of poverty has become work, but it can't be just any work; it has to be well paid work with benefits and other supports.”
“We have started to emphasize and work with unions that are trying to organize workers because an individual can't stand against problems like low wages and unfair termination.”
“The de Blasio administration has been progressive in supporting initiatives like the fight for $15 and paid sick leave, but the promise of a hundred thousand good-paying jobs is still a dream.”
“New York City is the most diverse but also the most segregated school district in the country, and specialized high schools like Brooklyn Tech have seen a drastic drop in black and Latino students despite the city's growing population of color.”
“We filed a lawsuit on unfair fare evasion arrests to get data because there are signs that these arrests are racially biased, which is a difficult but necessary stand for the not-for-profit sector to take.”
“The test prep industry around admissions to specialized high schools has become a huge system requiring extraordinary expenditures, effectively shutting out many students without financial means.”
“Baruch College has fewer black and Latino students than Harvard, Princeton, and Wesleyan because CUNY admissions rely solely on SAT scores, which has reduced diversity.”
“The University of Texas addressed admissions diversity by granting automatic admission to the top tier of every high school if they met minimum requirements, which transformed their student body.”
“Universal Summer Youth Employment programs are crucial because they open up opportunities for young people in isolated neighborhoods to meet different people and develop work experience from a young age.”
“The current system of testing for enriched kindergarten programs and specialized schools is supported by public dollars but perpetuates segregation and inequality, and if left unchecked, will worsen with economic pressures.”
On September 20, more than 400 guests from 160+ organizations came out to the NYCETC 2018 Conference - Innovative ...
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