People are starting to realize the impact of changing school funding into a competitive grant kind of system. In addition to the blog link we posted, here’s a link to New York One’s coverage of Wednesday’s press conference. Below is video that AQE produced. Here also is a link to a Capital Tonight interview with [...]

I’d like you to meet Jim Frenette. He’s more than my dad. He’s also a retired teacher. In Tupper Lake, where I grew up, teachers were — and still are — a respected profession. It wasn’t just me and my family who looked up to him, whether he was wearing his school shoes or his [...]

New York State Labor Commissioner Colleen Gardner, a longtime friend of NYSUT, will deliver the keynote address and be honored for her work on behalf of working women at the “Women and Work: Taking the Lead Conference” next month. The conference, sponsored by the Workforce Development Institute, will be go from 4:30-9 p.m., March 9, [...]

Almost 30 lawmakers joined with NYSUT and citizen groups to oppose the proposed state budget’s competitive grant proposal. Many provided quotes in advance that you can find here. Parents were compelling and NYSUT’s Andy Pallotta drew strong support when he declared education is not a game show. The assembled citizens and  lawmakers added their voices [...]

This is a television commercial created by the Schoharie Teachers Association as part of a grassroots campaign to spread the good word about New York’s public schools. It will air in the Capital Region shortly after winter break. Why did they produce it? Because they were sick of hearing that New York schools are 38th [...]

Across the state there are school districts working together. Syracuse is one of them and Friday morning is a great example. Starting at 8:30 a.m. the union joins with district administrators, Say YES to education and Syracuse 20/20. Together the groups will tell their elected lawmakers, both city and state, why the Syracuse schools need [...]

Today the plight of the Chester Upland school district in Pennsylvania will air on the Ellen Show. Chester Upland is an extreme example of the devastating consequences budget cuts have on students across America. We’ve blogged about their situation before. Sara Ferguson, is a third-generation teacher and proud union member and here’s a link to where Sara [...]

It’s worth saying again. The best part of my job is meeting the teachers, assistants, bus drivers, secretaries, college faculty, lab technicians, nurses of NYSUT and telling their stories. One of my many favorites is Arlene Hanley. Once her kids were in school and she wanted a similar schedule, like many women, she went to [...]

Living in Schenectady, I get to hear Schenectady High School senior Maya Williams speak at a number of events. (As well as Iris Williams, who see comments below, is not related!) Maya impressed again at a Wednesday press conference about what the governor’s proposed competitive grant program for state aid to schools really means. “Making [...]

Want to give our Central New York members a heads-up about an event at 5:30 Monday night at the Lyncourt School in Syracuse. Educators, school board members. administrators and families will gather to connect and get the info they need to advocate for our students, schools and districts. Billy Easton of the Alliance for Quality [...]