NYSUT launches Common Ground Over Chaos campaign
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.
NYSUT endorsed candidates for state Senate and Assembly races and forwarded federal recommendations to its national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association. Endorsed candidates receive grassroots support from NYSUT members and financial contributions from voluntary donations through VOTE-COPE, the union’s non-partisan Political Action Committee. No member dues are used to support political candidates. For the union’s full endorsement list, visit nysut.cc/election24.
To learn more about NYSUT’s ongoing Common Ground Over Chaos campaign, or to get involved, visit CommonGroundOverChaos.org.
“I’m a proud product of our public schools and I’ll always support our teachers.”
Mondaire Jones, (candidate for NY-17)
“There’s been an unprecedented assault on the idea of public education and it’s shameful … education has always been the great equalizer in society.”
“There’s so much more that we can work together on than fight and point fingers. Because it’s time to stop fighting, and it’s time to start working to solve problems for families in our communities.”
Josh Riley, (candidate for NY-19)
“I’m a proud product of our public schools and I’ll always support our teachers.”
“There’s been an unprecedented assault on the idea of public education and it’s shameful … education has always been the great equalizer in society.”
“There’s so much more that we can work together on than fight and point fingers. Because it’s time to stop fighting, and it’s time to start working to solve problems for families in our communities.”
Josh Riley, (candidate for NY-19)
“I’m a proud product of our public schools and I’ll always support our teachers.”
“There’s been an unprecedented assault on the idea of public education and it’s shameful … education has always been the great equalizer in society.”
“There’s so much more that we can work together on than fight and point fingers. Because it’s time to stop fighting, and it’s time to start working to solve problems for families in our communities.”
Finding common ground to get things accomplished
Lawmakers who sign the Common Ground Over Chaos pledge are aligned with the key principles of the campaign:
Practical solutions over partisanship
Prioritizing results-oriented policies that address real-world problems
Collaboration over confrontation
Bridging divides, fostering respectful dialogue and working together to find beneficial solutions
Strengthening democratic institutions
Supporting public education, ensuring fair elections and promoting transparent governance
Local focus, national impact
Hearing and addressing the concerns of local communities and understanding their significance on a national scale
Transparency and accountability
Valuing clear communication, accountability and ensuring decisions are made openly and in the people’s best interests
Civic engagement
Promoting civics education and encouraging and empowering all to participate in the democratic process
Disagreement doesn’t have to make us enemies. NYSUT members teach their students every day in the classroom how to engage in respectful, healthy debate. We don’t think it’s too much to ask that our elected officials model that same behavior.
WHAT NYSUT MEMBERS ARE SAYING:
“We want to bring together a coalition that moves past the extremism we’ve seen play out in Washington. … Unhinged behavior hasn’t been helpful for any of us.”
“Candidates have to be bipartisan because much like a marriage, it can’t be one sided.”
“Civil discourse is something we start talking to our students about in kindergarten … so they can go out into the world as adults and work together.”
“Now more than ever, common ground and civility are needed to do the work our nation needs.”
“It has never been clearer that we need people in Washington that are looking for solutions and trying to solve problems facing us as a nation.”
“Candidates have to be bipartisan because much like a marriage, it can’t be one sided.”
“Poverty, inflation, unemployment, low wages, pollution, food insecurity, access to healthcare: these aren’t partisan issues, these are things we all face every day.”
“Civil discourse is something we start talking to our students about in kindergarten … so they can go out into the world as adults and work together.”
“Now more than ever, common ground and civility are needed to do the work our nation needs.”
“We can’t get anything done in this country if we’re not willing to be bipartisan … thinking you don’t need to compromise is not reality.”
“It has never been clearer that we need people in Washington that are looking for solutions and trying to solve problems facing us as a nation.”
