Delegates vote to protect public education from attacks

YSUT’s Board of Directors introduced two resolutions at the 2025 Representative Assembly to protect our students, public schools and public higher education institutions from federal attacks and funding cuts.

The Protect Our Colleges and Universities from Federal Attacks resolution stressed the dire impacts of the freeze on federal grant funding for lifesaving research, attacks on academic freedom, and slashing of student aid that will further suppress college access and enrollment.

“Higher education as we know it won’t be around if we don’t fight for it,” implored James Davis, president of the Professional Staff Congress, representing academic faculty and staff at the City University of New York, in introducing the resolution.

United University Professions President Fred Kowal, representing members at the State University system, urged delegates to stand up for students and fight back. “Whether it’s in research, whether it’s in teaching, the work we do is about bringing the truth to the forefront so our students, as they become citizens of the world, can carry on our work in a fully democratic and just society,” said Kowal.

Additionally, the Protect Our Students, Protect Our Schools resolution addressed more than 100 executive orders issued in the first three months of the year aimed at eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and threatening the recission of funding and removal of grants for failure to comply.

On K–12 issues, Albany Public School Teachers Association President Laura Franz, a member of the NYSUT Board, spoke in support of the resolution. “This resolution is not a symbolic gesture,” Franz said. “It’s a line in the sand; a declaration of purpose from the people who have always stood between power and the powerless. … We, the educators, are uniquely prepared for this fight.”

Delegates unanimously supported both measures. In total, 19 resolutions were adopted at the union’s annual policymaking convention. Topics included support for an LGBTQIA+ inclusive health education curriculum and preserving transgender students’ and educators’ rights, equity for all English language learners, and a measure against the over-assessment of K–8 students.

A resolution calling for a “recess revolution” passed unanimously. Andrew Bogey, Wellsville Education Association, has taught at the elementary level for 20 years. “The pandemic highlighted the issue of students learning to work and play together,” he said. “Having recess is a necessity.”

Delegates resoundingly passed a measure to prioritize civics education. “I firmly believe in civics education. Civics empowers young adults,” said LaShonda Bradberry, Cheektowaga TA, who noted students are running voter registration drives in her district.

Several resolutions on healthcare and workplace safety passed, including two measures related to Career and Technical Education. The first called for ensuring equitable funding and resource allocation for CTE programs, while the second called for safe supervision for all students enrolled in CTE classes.

Leo Gordon, United Federation of Teachers vice president for Career and Technical Education, thanked NYSUT leadership for their focus on and celebration of CTE. “We are the future for many of these cities throughout the state,” Gordon said. “This kind of work really changes the fabric of the school system. It allows us to work collaboratively to give young people skills that college can’t always give.”

Delegates passed a resolution calling for a fairer pension COLA for retirees and a measure stressing the importance of retirees to VOTE-COPE. Resolutions calling for expanding Universal Pre-K, opposing book bans and censorship in public schools, and charter school fiscal accountability also passed.

All remaining resolutions were automatically referred to the NYSUT Board. For complete coverage of the RA, including video tributes to winners of NYSUT’s constituency awards, visit nysut.org/RA.

NYSUT President Melinda Person thanked the delegates for gathering in Rochester, and all NYSUT members for their dedication to their professions and communities. “The work we do is not just about transferring information — it’s about planting seeds of possibility.”