The Offical Website of the PJSTA

Posted on February 4, 2014 by thepjsta

URGENT! Act Today!

ACTION ALERT – CHANGE REGENTS NOW

The NYS Legislature will shortly decide which candidates will be appointed to four Regents positions.
NYSAPE is endorsing four new candidates, who have made a firm commitment to change the direction of current education policies. They oppose high stakes testing and student data-sharing without parental consent. They are long-time educators and parent leaders who are respected in their communities. You can read about these candidates here: http://www.nysape.org/nysape-endorses-full-slate-of-candidates-for-the-board-of-regents.html .

HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Please take the time to email and call your Assembly Member and Senator and ask that they support Mike Reilly, Regina Rose, Audrey Baker and Dr. Carol Mikoda. You will find a sample email/call script below.

Here is an easy way to access your Assembly Member and Senator contact information:
Find your Assembly Member: http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/
Find your Senator: http://www.nysenate.gov/senators

Please also contact:
Speaker Silver at speaker@assembly.state.ny.us 518-455-3791

Education Chair Assembly Member Catherine Nolan at nolanc@assembly.state.ny.us 518-455-4851

Higher Education Chair Assembly Member Deborah Glick at glickd@assembly.state.ny.us 518-455-4818

Here’s a sample email/call script, please feel free to revise:
Dear [Name of Legislator] :

On February 4 and February 11, Assemblywomen Nolan and Glick will lead interviews for four positions on the Board of Regents. I am urging you to support the following four candidates: Michael Reilly, Regina Rose, Dr. Carol Mikado and Audrey Baker.

All four are experienced educators and/or parent leaders, and understand that the current policies of the NYS Education Department must be reversed. As Regents, these four candidates will fight for authentic and quality education for all children in New York State.
The incumbents sitting in those seats have expressed no willingness to do so.

The resumes and/or the surveys of Michael Reilly, Regina Rose, Dr. Carol Mikado and Audrey Baker are available on the NYSAPE website: http://www.nysape.org/regents-candidate-information.html Please let me know if you are willing to support their candidacy.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Address]

Leave a Comment

Posted on February 3, 2014 by thepjsta

Iannuzzi Strongly Condemns “Sit and Stare” Policies

Via nysut.org…

New York State United Teachers President Richard C. Iannuzzi today called on school districts to abandon educationally unsound and unconscionable policies that force students whose parents have decided to opt them out of state testing to “sit and stare” instead of providing them with a constructive alternative.

…

“NYSUT strongly condemns the policy of ‘sit and stare’,” Iannuzzi said. “This policy aimed at students whose parents elect to ‘opt out’ their children from state standardized testing is unconscionable. It would be spiteful and counter-productive for any school district to require an administrator or teacher to direct a child to ‘sit and stare’ at a blank desk while other students are taking exams because of a choice made by a parent.”

Iannuzzi added, “This is cruel to those students not taking the exam and a distraction and disservice to those who are attempting to complete it. Punishing or embarrassing children because their parents exercised their right to choose not to have their children participate in tests they consider inappropriate is, frankly, abusive.”

…

Iannuzzi said the union would provide guidance and support to parents – or parent groups – unfairly singled out or harassed for advocating the right to opt out and added, “We will vigorously defend any NYSUT members who are subject to any negative employment considerations for choosing to opt out their own child or who advocate, to the extent permitted by law, for others who opt out of state standardized tests.”

This is very strong language from Iannuzzi in support of students, teachers, and parents. It also continues his trend of taking more aggressive stands against damaging reforms from SED. Ironically some locals are opposing his re-election bid, and supporting the slate that wants to play nice with Cuomo, because Iannuzzi wasn’t previously aggressive enough.

Today’s comments seem to be further proof that an Iannuzzi no longer beholden to Michael Mulgrew is an Iannuzzi who will take NYSUT in the direction that most NYSUT members want.

Leave a Comment

Posted on February 1, 2014 by thepjsta

Dr. Joe Rella On Opting Out

Our very own Dr. Rella on opting out…

Leave a Comment

Posted on January 31, 2014 by thepjsta

Hobart and Cortese Endorse Iannuzzi, Neira, Donahue, Cutler

January 31, 2014

NYSUT Leaders and Members:

We are proud to serve as the Honorary Reelection Committee and to endorse the reelection of Dick Iannuzzi for President, Maria Neira and Kathleen Donahue for Vice President and Lee Cutler for Secretary-Treasurer of NYSUT!

We have been involved in framing the NYSUT mission and vision from its inception. Along with many great unionists from across New York, we’ve watched our union grow and evolve in ways that place NYSUT at the forefront of the teacher union movement — in fact of the entire labor movement. Dick and his team have a vision that is inclusive of every constituency group and local regardless of region or size. They have made leaders feel and know that they are part of a union that cares about and advocates for every member. They understand that leadership is about making the tough choices in tough times to save our members’ jobs, and about recalibrating our budgetary priorities and restructuring our organization to better meet our members’ needs. They know that leadership is about leading and taking responsibility for decisions, not finger-pointing or scapegoating colleagues when times are hard.

Like each of us, the STRONGER TOGETHER team understands that a union best serves its members with a long-range strategy and vision that supports real change, but not change for the sake of change.

The future of NYSUT depends on a team whose vision looks toward the future with new ideas that engage a collective voice, and not one that seeks to look backwards and fails to recognize the value of every member. Dick, Maria, Kathleen and Lee have the vision and experience to lean into the future on your behalf, and that’s why we are proud to actively provide our support.

In solidarity,

Thomas Y. Hobart, Jr.

President Emeritus

Antonia Cortese

Former NYSUT First Vice President

Hobart/Cortese Endorsement Letter

Leave a Comment

Posted on January 30, 2014 by thepjsta

MORE THAN A SCORE: Talking Back to Testing Forum

This morning we ran a post featuring the MORE Caucus. Having read that you may now have an interest in attending a forum they are holding in Manhattan this weekend titled, “More than a Score!”

You can click here to order your FREE tickets.

The details on the event are below…

Find out how you can stop the overuse of High Stakes Testing in your school, and join the citywide effort to focus on real teaching and learning.

Panel and workshops will discuss:

What are the effects of high stakes testing on students, teachers and school communities?

What are solid alternatives to standardized testing that already exist?

How can we be active in the fight for a better educational system for ALL students?

Hear and speak to educators and students from schools where standardized tests are not used to make major decisions. There’s overwhelming evidence to support that collaboration trumps competition when it comes to bringing out the best in all of our students.
Together we can stop the corporate standardization of education and create a responsive educational system that serves the needs of our young people and communities.

11:00-11:15- Welcome and Introductions!

11:15-11:45- Key Note Speakers

11:55-12:55- Workshops Round 1 (Diverse range of workshops for everyone)
* Portfolio Based Assessments (Middle/High School): Presented by educators from a Consortium High School (Non-regents based public high school)
* High Stakes Testing 101: The Truth About Testing- Presented by Change the Stakes
* Why the UFT should fight “Advance”: Presented by MORE’s Contract Committee
* High Stakes Testing and Zero Tolerance Policies- Promoting Restorative Justice
in our schools: Teacher’s Unite
* Building Student Voice and Empowerment: NYC Student Union: Building Student Unions on your own campus. Let’s build a network of collaboration for collective action to have our educational demands met.
* Portfolio Based Assessments in Elementary Schools- Presented by elementary school educators in the current progressive network

1:00-2:00- GET PLUGGED IN! Round 2 (Great place for people who are already plugged in to different community based groups and for those who are looking to learn more about how to get actively informed.)
* MORE- Movement of Rank and File Educators:
* Change the Stakes
* NYC Student Union
* Teachers

2:00-2:30- Endnote Speakers and Closing

2:30-3:00- Mingle and Meet- bake sale and connect at the water cooler

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU THERE!
*Workshop organizers subject to change depending on demand.

Change the Stakes http://changethestakes.wordpress.com/
Movement of Rank and File Educators http://morecaucusnyc.org/
Teacher’s Unite http://www.teachersunite.net/