A note from PJSTA President Beth Dimino…

NYSUT Members…

Here’s a reminder that I believe is pertinent at this time. Last August there was a NYSUT President’s endorsement conference to decide who NYSUT would endorse in the November elections. Well, even though I knew it was a farce, I went to that meeting to represent my members. The Long Island Presidents were tasked with deciding whether or not Flanagan and Marcellino should get a NYSUT endorsement. Not only did we as a group demand that these men not get the endorsement, we had other candidates that NYSUT could have endorsed. Our recommendations went to the NYSUT Board of Directors. Andy Pallotta brought John Flanagan to that Board of Directors meeting to try and convince the Board of Directors to overturn what the LI Presidents decided. 

NYSUT leadership has their own agenda completely devoid of the needs or wants of rank and file.

As the Executive Vice President of NYSUT, Pallotta, has gotten us Tier 5/6, 50% of our APPR determined by student’s scores on the NYS Assessments, and Flanagan and Marcellino. Pallotta has unfettered access to ALL Vote Cope Funds. 

NYSUT should be spending Cope dollars on a meaningful campaign educating membership on why and how they can effectively fight against Devos and Flanagan. But, they’re not. 

Donating any money at all to Vote Cope is counter productive and is in direct opposition to your own best interests. 

I am asking you all to consider doing the following tomorrow:

Call your business office and reduce your Cope contribution to $0 until NYSUT Leadership changes… tell everyone you know to do the same!

In a clear sign of where he stands on issues of public education, New York State Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan, who represents portions of the Comsewogue School District, has signed a letter to Lamar Alexander in support of Betsy DeVos.  The letter, signed by “state-level elected leaders” from all 50 states, applauds Donal Trump for the nomination of DeVos and calls her “an advocate and ally for all children”.  Flanagan, who once complained to Comsewogue that beth Dimino should speak to him in a more deferential tone, was the only New York State legislator to sign the letter.   You can click here to read the entire letter.