The Offical Website of the PJSTA

Posted on August 30, 2014 by thepjsta

Links on Teachout & NYSUT

I’ve been out of commission for a few days as I had some laptop issues resolved. However I am back in action and have a few links to pass on that we should all be reading.

First to Zephyr Teachout, the PJSTA endorsed gubernatorial candidate…

There will be a a rally in support of Teachout on Thursday, September 4th at 4:30. All PJSTA members should be there. Teachout, Beth Dimino, Carol Burris, Kevin Glynn, and Jeanette Deutermann will be among the attendees and speakers. More information at the bottom of this post.

The Long Island Press quotes Teachout as saying her first order of business would be working to eliminate the Common Core in New York State and dismissing commissioner John King. Via the Long Island Press…

Teachout has been equally outspoken against Common Core, the education reform created by the National Governor’s Association and the Council of State School Officers and implemented to what many are calling disastrous results under the leadership of Cuomo and his appointed Commissioner of Education John King.

Teachout said the first order of business if she was to beat Cuomo would be the elimination of Common Core, and King as commissioner.

“John King has failed to listen to parents and teachers who have spoken up forcefully about the problems with high stakes testing and privatization of public schools, and is the wrong person for the job,” she said.

“Listening” is a key component of being governor, she stressed amid the market. “He’s not a good listener.”

The more you hear her speak the more you wonder what NYSUT possibly could have been thinking when they chose not to endorse her.

Speaking of NYSUT, we have a few good links on the double pension scandal that broke last week…

Over at the Perdido Street School blog, Reality-Based Educator says the Cuomo/NYSUT double pension deal needs to be investigated.

Sean Crownley from the B-LoEdScene blog says that NYSUT leadership needs to explain themselves or resign.

Arthur Goldstein at NYC Educator talks about the poor defense arguments that NYSUT leadership’s mouthpieces are offering up.

Here is the information on Thursday’s Teachout rally…

Sign Letter of Support for Zephyr Teachout

Last Friday the PJSTA issued an official endorsement of Zephyr Teachout, who will square off against Andrew Cuomo in the gubernatorial Democratic primary on September 9th. Teachout, considered the underdog to the Wall Street backed Cuomo, has gained significant momentum over the past few weeks. In spite of her virtually ideal education platform, NYSUT has chosen not to endorse her in the coming primary. That has not stopped educators from across the state from throwing their support behind her, however. Local education leaders have begun to sign a letter of support for Teachout.

If you’d like to sign the letter yourself you can click here. You can also be sure to “Like” the Facebook page.

To contribute to Teachout’s campaign click here.

The PJSTA Welcomes Our New Activists!

Today the PJSTA welcomed twelve new members to our local. Our new brothers and sisters are excited to bring their energy and activism to the PJSTA as we embark on another school year that will, once again, require more work than ever before as the fight for public education wages on.

The new members had an opportunity to meet their mentors, be briefed on who the PJSTA is, and then mingle with fellow teachers and district administrators. We look forward to the many skills and talents that they will bring to our local this year!

Brand new PJSTA members plus some old lady in the blue shirt.

Lauren Joos Takes the Ice Bucket Challenge!

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Posted on August 22, 2014 by thepjsta

The PJSTA Endorses Zephyr Teachout

The Port Jefferson Station Teachers Association is very proud to endorse Zephyr Teachout for New York State Governor. Teachout has a clear vision for a public education system that New York’s students, teachers, and communities deserve. Teachout stands in opposition to the privatization measures that have been endorsed by Governor Cuomo and which hurt New York’s students.

Zephyr Teachout calls for full and equal funding of New York’s schools, an end to high-stakes testing, protection of public education against privatization, the empowerment of New York’s local school communities, and the end of the suspension pipeline. All of these positions resonate deeply with the rank and file membership of the PJSTA. We are excited to work with Teachout to bring her vision of public education to New York State so that all New Yorkers can reap the benefits of the best public education system in America.