Bills Address Student Testing, Teacher Evaluations

A series of bills before the Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee could, if passed, delay the use of the new student achievement test, the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers.

WEBSITE SUCCESS

        For some time now this site hasn't been easily accessible. Thanks to changes by NYSUT we are finally able to connect with our unit.You will be able to keep updated on upcoming events and issues here. I will continue to work to make it a working site that is an effective toold for members.

2014 Scholarship Opportunities

It's almost spring, when a young person's fancy turns towards dreams of scholarships.  Here are a few union scholarships available to member families from AFT national, AFT-Wisconsin and the South Central Federation of Labor (SCFL)  .  Click Here.

 

There’s something wrong happening in Newark

Superintendent Cami Anderson—one of Gov. Chris Christie’s hand-picked appointees—is trying to force a plan that’s opposed by the community and bad for Newark’s schools. And she has to violate the contract she negotiated and signed to do it.

Anderson has already cut shady deals with charter operators and suspended administrators just for disagreeing with her. If she gets the waiver she’s seeking, she’ll have the authority to fire teachers and bring in untrained, low-cost replacements—and to close neighborhood schools. We don’t know what she’ll do, but it’s clear she’s up to something.

Tell Anderson: “Work with us, and stop trying to force a plan that’s bad for Newark.”

Christie and Anderson are in charge of the Newark schools, but they’ve made little progress. Parents, educators and the community have lost faith and trust that they can turn the schools around. Instead of listening to the concerns and ideas of the community, they are pushing a flawed plan, ignoring the gross underfunding of the schools, and seeking to undo agreed-upon reforms that help improve public education in Newark. 

The governor and superintendent need to listen to and work with parents and teachers and do what is best for Newark’s kids. We worked hard to negotiate a fair contract with the district. Anderson smiled when she signed that contract, and Christie said it would “improve the quality of education across the city of Newark.”

Anderson needs to hear loud and clear that we expect her to work with parents and teachers, not break the contract and bully the community.

Tell Anderson to honor the deal and stop trying to bully our teachers and kids.

We need to make Newark schools places where kids can build trusting relationships with each other and with adults, where they can learn the critical thinking skills they’ll need to compete in the 21st century, and where they can develop the persistence and grit they’ll need to deal with adversity. Stand with us to tell Superintendent Cami Anderson that this isn’t the way you do that.

In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President

P.S. I've sent an open letter to Gov. Christie asking him to work with us and reject the waiver. You can read about it here.

 

 

Bullying

Bullying is a community issue that extends beyond the school campus and is prevalent online. The American Federation of Teachers is partnering with educators, school leaders, community and advocacy groups to recognize, prevent and combat bullying. To be part of AFT’s campaign, “See a Bully, Stop a Bully: Make a Difference,” to raise awareness and access resources for educators, students and parents, log on to the link below.

AFT-Maryland Affiliates Oppose Pension Cuts

AFT-Maryland affiliates traveled to Annapolis, Maryland February 24th to meet with state legislators and voice opposition to Governor O’Malley’s proposed cuts to the state’s contribution to state employee pension plan.

The governor has proposed that the state’s promised $300 million per year contribution to state worker pension plans be cut by $100 million. AFT-Maryland affiliates have argued that the cuts jeopardize the financial standing of the state and could result in reduced payments for retired state workers.

Support SB 483 for workplace violence prevention

AFT Healthcare-Maryland President Debra Perry submitted testimony in favor of Senate Bill 483 February 20th. That bill proposes additional protections for workers in healthcare facilities. Perry’s testimony documented numerous incidents of violence that had befallen healthcare workers in state facilities and requested that legislators pass the bill SB 483.

The bill calls for the creation of a committee to study workplace violence prevention measures and the establishment of specific procedures that greatly reduce the opportunities for a violent incident to occur in state healthcare facilities.

http://afthealthcaremd.md.aft.org/

Support SB 483 for workplace violence prevention

AFT Healthcare-Maryland President Debra Perry submitted testimony in favor of Senate Bill 483 February 20th. That bill proposes additional protections for workers in healthcare facilities. Perry’s testimony documented numerous incidents of violence that had befallen healthcare workers in state facilities and requested that legislators pass the bill SB 483.

The bill calls for the creation of a committee to study workplace violence prevention measures and the establishment of specific procedures that greatly reduce the opportunities for a violent incident to occur in state healthcare facilities.

MHFT Newsletter -- February 25, 2014

CFT Convention (March 21-23)

Manhattan Beach

      Ballots for delegates to the CFT Convention will be in your boxes this week.  Voting will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. 

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