n the whirlwind launch of Vice President Kamala Harris’ candidacy for president, NYSUT members and leaders had a front seat and a supporting role.

On July 22, as AFT’s national convention kicked off in Houston, NYSUT President Melinda Person, acting in her capacity as an AFT vice president, made a historic motion during a special order of business to endorse Harris the day after President Joe Biden stepped out of the race.

The choice to back Harris is about optimism for a future that includes investments in public education, mental wellness, Career and Technical Education and community schools, Person said.

“I woke up this morning and I felt excited, excited about the possibility of electing the first woman president of the United States of America,” Person said to the more than 3,500 delegates gathered in Texas. “I stand here proudly recommending this motion … because I am genuinely hopeful about what we can accomplish with Kamala Harris as president.”

he fifth and final Rockefeller Institute hearing on New York’s Foundation Aid education funding formula brought educators and advocates from across the state together at Guilderland High School on Aug. 14, all pounding the drum for a more consistent and equitable approach to state aid for schools.

The aid formula is a vital mechanism for driving state support toward schools but some of the elements — like those defining district demographics and poverty levels — have not been edited since the formula’s creation in 2007, Person explained. She also urged the institute to consider the changing role schools play in communities and the emerging needs of students.

Kevin Coyne, president of the Brentwood Teachers Association, spoke to just that in his testimony at the Farmingdale hearing. “In communities like Brentwood, schools are the central hub. We provide all services normally associated with schools, but our community needs drive us to go above and beyond,” Coyne said. “Our schools are family centers, with pantries for food and clothing, counselors to provide help with housing, jobs, and connections that will assimilate families into our school community. These expenses, on top of the rising costs to educate students, place an enormous financial burden on our school community that can only be met by a Foundation Aid formula that accounts for our special circumstances.”

I Am Educator Inspired

ith the ratification of their latest contract, Elmira Teachers Association members are celebrating a defining achievement: six weeks of paid parental leave.

Elmira has many young members who were starting families, but without a paid parental leave policy, they were being forced to use all their sick time. That was putting them at a disadvantage.

“To me, it’s all about equity,” said Clark. “You shouldn’t be punished for starting a family.”

Elmira is one of the first cities in the region to negotiate paid parental leave into their contract, and Clark said she hopes it will catch on elsewhere. “I hope that once they see we’ve done it, it will open the door for other districts,” she said.

In addition to the policy being a good recruiting tool, the deal the TA presented to the district — allocating 12 sick days and six weeks PPL to new hires and 16 sick days to existing members (or the option to have 12 sick days and PPL) — helps solve an ongoing dilemma: finding adequate coverage for absent teachers.

s hot, stuffy classrooms filled with students again this fall, educators and parents renewed their call for Gov. Kathy Hochul to sign the classroom heat bill into law.

In June, after NYSUT “brought the heat” to lawmakers — in the very real form of a portable sauna tent set up outside their Albany offices — they passed bill S.3397 (Skoufis)/A.9011 (Eachus) to set maximum temperatures in school buildings. The bill, which passed the Legislature with overwhelming bipartisan support, requires schools to implement practical measures to manage extreme heat but does not call for districts to make mandatory investments in costly HVAC systems or resort to school closures.

If classrooms reach a temperature of 82 degrees or higher, districts must have a plan in place to cool temperatures, including turning off lights, pulling down shades, using fans and other methods. If a classroom’s temperature reaches 88 degrees, districts need to find an alternative learning location that is cooler for the safety of students and staff.

“Extreme heat is a real danger to our students and educators, and we applaud state legislators for witnessing, experiencing and now acknowledging the severity of its impact in our schools,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person.

lthough sunny Lake George beckoned outside, the third-year NYSUT Local Action Project team members didn’t notice. They were busy putting their last LAP week to good use, fine-tuning plans to keep the work they started years ago ongoing in the months and years ahead.

“Internal communication is a big concern for us,” said Michelle Greenough, Fredonia Teachers Association president, explaining that LAP-derived initiatives like their local’s “kindness carts,” which volunteers use to deliver snacks and drinks to classroom teachers, help by providing opportunities for one-on-one conversations with members. The carts also spread goodwill and attract members who don’t usually get involved, Greenough continued.

“We’re starting a campaign to reduce class sizes, so as we took the cart around, we asked how larger class sizes are impacting them.”

The Faculty Association of Suffolk Community College launched a professional development series for members. The TA of Cheektowaga Sloan, an informal buddy mentoring program for new hires. The East Syracuse Minoa Teaching Assistants Association worked to revamp their “successful failure” — a push for professional development that’s relevant to the actual work they do. Efforts to discuss programming changes with administrators over the past year weren’t well received.

hey phone bank, rally, fundraise and are always willing to lend a helping hand. They’re NYSUT retirees and this year the statewide union has set aside a special day to say thanks. Monday, Oct. 21, marks the inaugural celebration of Retiree Recognition Day, which honors the contributions of the union’s daytime army of more than 260,000 retiree members.

“NYSUT has one of the most active and successful retiree programs in the country,” said Ron Gross, NYSUT second vice president, whose office coordinates the union’s retiree services program. To help retirees organize and stay connected, NYSUT has a network of 11 retiree services consultants who serve as liaisons between retired members, retiree councils and NYSUT headquarters.

In honor of Retiree Recognition Day, Gross suggests reaching out to retiree chapter members to learn more about your union’s history. “Many locals have fascinating backstories, such as contract battles, strikes or organizing struggles,” said Gross. “Speaking with retired members about their experiences preserves that history for future generations.”

To learn more about NYSUT’s retiree program, visit nysut.cc/retirees.

trong union women from across the state gathered at NYSUT headquarters in July for the inaugural New York State AFL-CIO women’s committee meeting. Inspired by NYSUT’s long-standing Women’s Committee, the event featured workshops on a range of topics including the impact of labor laws on women, and maternal childbirth mortality rates in the African American community.

NYSUT President Melinda Person last June proposed the resolution encouraging the committee, noting that women comprise 49 percent of the NYS AFL-CIO membership. The lack of representation highlighted the need for a group committed to women’s issues and to nurturing and supporting the next generation of female union leaders. “The Women’s Committee of the NYS AFL-CIO envisions a future where the path to equality is built on equity … we believe that union membership plays a crucial role in empowering and educating women.”

In the workshop “Women in Labor and Politics,” a panel of union women political directors highlighted the challenges they face as female leaders and stressed the importance of authenticity. “Being your authentic self can be very important for someone coming up behind you,” said Michelle Crentsil, political director of the state Nurses Association. “It inspires the next generation and brings new leaders into the movement.”

n an unassuming brick building along the outskirts of Albany’s downtown, a team of NYSUT members were hard at work. The group, the 2024 cohort of the NYSUT Social Justice Academy, painted walls, sorted books, raked lawns and unloaded supplies to help prepare the South End Children’s Cafe for a fall opening at its newly purchased site, the former home of a local church.

Established in 2015, the South End Children’s Cafe provides free daily dinners and after-school enrichment year-round to more than 100 area children. “The cafe does great work, and we always want to support them when we can.”

Grounded in NYSUT’s belief that social justice lies at the heart of unionism, the NYSUT Social Justice Academy launched last year with five locals, educating them about social justice issues and helping them raise awareness and advocate for change in their communities. The goal is for participants to form a local social justice or civil and human rights committee and leave with a concrete plan to increase awareness and activism within their schools, locals and communities. Grant funding to help with implementation is available.

I believe that the Cold Spring Elementary Learning Center (where I am a typist) is the beginning of learning for our students. I love the staff; they make the location very special as a first step for learning and make it home for the kids. In many ways I am a master of all — scheduling, substitute coverage, problem solving and helping teachers schedule events. My brain is always moving. One of the things that I set up to assist with all of the moving parts in the office was a monthly filing system.

How did you get involved with the union?

I started as a building rep. When the current president chose to leave her position, I was elected president. Part of my learning curve was understanding that things do not happen overnight; it takes time. I really enjoy problem solving. As the union president, I continue to learn patience. This also helps with other facets of my life, including with my own three teenagers.

ince 2007, the third Tuesday in November has been set aside to recognize those professionals who are often in the background, but whose work allows schools to run — custodial and maintenance workers, food service personnel, transportation staff, teacher aides and teaching assistants, technical staff, clerical staff and many more.

SRP Recognition Day, celebrated this year on Nov. 19, is the direct result of years of advocacy by volunteer lobbyists and NYSUT staff. The day is a great way to acknowledge the contributions SRPs make in helping to educate the whole student.

“This year’s theme is ‘SRPs Rise to the Challenge: Our Work Matters,’” said NYSUT Second Vice President Ron Gross, whose office coordinates SRP concerns for the union. “The work our SRPs do contributes so much to a successful educational experience for all students.”

Whether your SRP unit decides to create its own celebration, to work collaboratively with your affiliated teacher unit, and/or to work with your district and parent teacher association, visit nysut.org/srpday for celebration ideas and to order your celebration kit. Nov. 12 is the deadline to order materials, including buttons for SRPs and stickers for teachers to wear in support of SRPs.

n school hallways, cellphones are almost as ubiquitous as backpacks; and educators say that is a big problem.

In April, Pew Research Trust released a new study, “What’s It Like to Be a Teacher in America Today?” that asks educators to identify the biggest challenges their students face, and what’s getting in the way of teaching.

According to the study, poverty, absenteeism, anxiety and depression topped the list of student challenges, but teachers also said that cellphones are an impediment to learning. In fact, 33 percent of teachers surveyed said students being distracted by their cellphones is a major problem in their classrooms. In high schools, the issue is even more prevalent; 72 percent of high school teachers say there’s cause for concern.

Cellphone policies in New York vary from district to district, building to building and even classroom to classroom. This summer, Gov. Kathy Hochul kicked off a “listening tour” to hear from educators and parents about the impact of cellphones on students, as part of her goal of developing a statewide policy about phones in schools.

Growing up in the ‘70s and ‘80s, my friends and I mostly thought of careers that our parents had. So when college graduation came, it was only natural that I’d go into law, since that was what my father and grandfather did. But after six years of practicing in Brooklyn, I remained unfulfilled.

And though I was making a good living and helping people, with my dad about to retire and the keys to the firm ready to be handed over to me, I had to make a decision — should I stay or should I go?

With The Clash’s song in my head, my instincts kicked in. I needed a change and this was my opportunity.

Having the conversation with my father wasn’t as difficult as I had imagined it to be. I informed him that I applied to the NYC Teaching Fellows program, but didn’t know what to expect. He was in full support and told me he knew I’d figure out the rest — which I did.

n Aug. 15, seven congressional candidates in competitive New York state races signed NYSUT’s “Common Ground Over Chaos” pledge, committing to working in a bipartisan manner to find practical solutions to the real-world needs and challenges of everyday Americans. Pledge events took place in Onondaga, Orange and Nassau counties. Signing the pledge were John Avlon (NY-01), Tom Suozzi (NY-03), Laura Gillen (NY-04), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Pat Ryan (NY-18), Josh Riley (NY-19) and John Mannion (NY-22).

“NYSUT is thrilled to endorse House candidates in New York who have committed to returning Congress to a place where democracy, compromise and healthy debate are valued. Across the political spectrum, our members agree that we need legislators who are willing to find common ground so that they can deliver results to improve the lives of working families,” said NYSUT President Melinda Person, noting that the seven are among the more than 200 candidates from both parties to receive union endorsements or recommendations. Person added that all endorsed candidates will be urged to sign the pledge.

The mid-August signings kicked off NYSUT’s Common Ground Over Chaos campaign, mobilizing thousands of members statewide to make calls and knock on doors on behalf of endorsed candidates in vital swing districts. “We need to turn the page on chaos and division and make sure we have leaders in place who know how to compromise without sacrificing values,” said NYSUT Board member Matt Haynes, Tri-Valley Teachers Association president. Haynes moderated the Orange County event with fellow NYSUT Board members Kim McEvoy, Anthony Nicodemo and Sparrow Tobin.

he conversation around book bans has been simmering for years, but recently the issue boiled over in several New York communities where book challenges made headlines and turned school board meetings into battlegrounds.

In Auburn, a small city in the Finger Lakes region, the controversy started back in 2022, when a group of parents called for the removal of the autobiography All Boys Aren’t Blue. The group wanted the book banned from the high school library, alleging that it was too sexually explicit. Others complained that the book was “promoting” homosexuality.

Beth Cuddy, the library media specialist at Auburn High School, and a member of the Auburn Teachers Association who testified at the school board meeting, was gratified by the decision but said that the aftermath was frightening and alienating.

“A narrative was being created that I had some nefarious motives for what I was doing, and social media was then used as a way to fuel this narrative,” Cuddy said. “I felt very uncomfortable just to go to the doctor’s office and say my name, and wondering, ‘Does this person think I’m this horrible evil librarian who’s trying to corrupt the youth of Auburn?’”

he new APPR law is being greeted with enthusiasm by school administrators, parents, and educators alike, who say critics do not understand how much was wrong with the Annual Professional Performance Review system to begin with.

“What people don’t grasp about the APPR system is that it wasn’t working,” said Bob Lowry, deputy director for the New York State Council of School Superintendents. In fact, a 2023 NYSCOSS survey showed that more than 40 percent of superintendents said that APPR was having a negative impact on improving teaching.

Administrators also said the old APPR system came with a lot of cumbersome provisions and paperwork that took time and manpower to execute. The new law will refocus the evaluation process on professional development, where it belongs.

“Professional evaluations are supposed to be a form of feedback. They are not supposed to be a ‘gotcha’ system, and unfortunately, that’s what APPR was,” said Tony Cardamone, president of the School Administrators Association of New York State. “This new system … will be something that is being done ‘with people’ and not ‘to people.’”

It’s What We Do

ancer can affect anyone, but it does not affect everyone equally. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, Black people have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial/ethnic group for most cancers in the U.S.

Now, the national cancer advocacy and research organization is launching an initiative aimed at uncovering the factors that lead to these disproportionate health outcomes. VOICES of Black Women, a longitudinal health study funded by the American Cancer Society and run by the population science department, will recruit and monitor the health of 100,000 Black women, ages 25–55 for the next 30 years to better understand cancer and other health conditions among Black women and improve outcomes.

NYSUT will play a key role in this latest effort, recruiting members to participate in the VOICES study.

“NYSUT is proud to support the latest American Cancer Society initiative, VOICES of Black Women. Our members are determined to ensure that everyone with cancer receives the best possible treatment, regardless of their race or gender,” said J. Philippe Abraham, NYSUT secretary-treasurer, whose office coordinates the statewide union’s social justice initiatives.

NYSUT has been a flagship sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks since 2002, and during that time, NYSUT volunteers have raised more than $16 million to fight the disease and save lives, Abraham said.

United Federation of Teachers member Terrain Reeves, a teacher and chapter leader at Edward R. Murrow High School in Brooklyn, signed on to be an ambassador based on her strong history of advocacy — and her own experiences with cancer. “I am a cancer survivor myself, and I’ve had several people close to me, including my mother and aunt, die of breast cancer.” Reeves’s mother was diagnosed in her 40s and died at 53; her aunt was diagnosed in her late 50s and died in her early 60s.

YSUT retirees are a vibrant, driving force within the statewide union. From supporting the work of local charities, to winning awards and representing NYSUT on the national stage, NYSUT retirees prove again and again that they are an important part of what keeps our union strong.

5 Questions for Stacey Rattner

You organized the June ¡Celebración! Book Festival in your district highlighting the works of Latinx authors and illustrators. How did you come up with the idea for a Latinx-themed book festival?

My friend, author Pablo Cartaya, and I had wanted to do a festival focused on Latinx authors and illustrators for a long time. I met Pablo six or seven years ago as part of an annual Newbery Project I do with my students. They select a Newbery award contender, and make a case for why it should win. When Pablo’s book, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora, was nominated, my kids wrote him fan mail, and I scheduled a Skype meeting with him for the class. I later met him in person and we connected and stayed in touch.

How did you get authors and illustrators to participate? And how many attended?

We started brainstorming for the event in September with a goal of having six authors and illustrators — we met our goal. I sent out an email to people whose books we knew and loved, who were friends of Pablo, or who I had previously connected with. The response was great; lots of excitement and many of the authors told us they’d never done something like this before in a school. They’d been part of panels but having a whole celebration centered on their work as Latinx creators, and highlighting their culture was new.

YSUT Member Benefits offers an annual update each September about the operation of the department, its endorsement process, and information about the many endorsed benefits available to members.

NYSUT created the Member Benefits Trust in 1983 as a separately funded trust to utilize the unified buying power of its membership and offer quality insurance and benefit programs to its members. Since that time, Member Benefits has grown to include the Member Benefits Corporation and Catastrophe Major Medical Insurance Trust — allowing for a significant increase in the offerings available to members.

These three entities are each overseen by a board of appointed trustees/directors who help to ensure our endorsed benefits meet the needs of NYSUT members. Member Benefits is under the leadership of NYSUT Secretary-Treasurer J. Philippe Abraham, chairperson of the Member Benefits Trust, and managed by Peggy Jacobsen.

hen you joined the New York State and Local Retirement System, which administers the Employees’ Retirement System, you were assigned a tier based on your date of membership. Your tier determines your eligibility for benefits and how they are calculated. If you joined ERS on or after April 1, 2012, you are a Tier 6 member.

Most ERS Tier 6 members are in the Article 15 retirement plan (named for a section of the New York State Retirement and Social Security Law). If you see Plan A15 listed in the ‘My Account Summary’ section of your Retirement Online account (bit.ly/RO-sign-in), you’re in this plan. Visit osc.ny.gov/retirement/publications/1530 for comprehensive information about your benefits.