03 June 2020

• NYSUT statement on a weekend of unrest in the wake of the George Floyd killing

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  ALBANY, N.Y. June 1, 2020 — New York State United Teachers President Andy Pallotta released the following statement today regarding the killing of George Floyd and protests that have followed in communities across New York and around the nation:

  “Our hearts are broken by the killing of George Floyd. Communities throughout New York and across the country are experiencing severe pain, anger and anguish. Addressing racial and economic inequities, which were already laid bare by the coronavirus pandemic, has taken on new urgency. Organized labor lives by the motto, ‘An injury to one is an injury to all,’ and right now, there are far too many injuries for any of us to be silent. Together

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• VOTE in June. (Twice!)

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  Mark your calendar.

  The deadline to return your ballot for school board and budget elections is June 9.

  Statewide primaries are June 23.

  Here's what you need to know.

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  School Board and Budget Voting

  You already have or will soon receive your ACTUAL absentee ballot for school board and budget elections.

  Your ballot must be returned to district offices by June 9.

  Mail it before then!

  Vote YES to fund our schools and support pro-education school board candidates.

  NYSUT is rolling out this new ad to promote school board and budget voting; please share it with your friends and followers on ...

• Central Valley SRPs make sure needy families are fed

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  Talk about essential workers.

  While the rest of the school buildings are dark, a small group of Central Valley United Employees members work together every weekday morning to make sure needy families are fed.

  It’s a big job, as they prepare, pack and distribute more than 750 lunches per day, complete with breakfast items for the next morning. If you do the math, since the pandemic closed schools in March this small army of School-Related Professionals has provided more than 35,000 meals to needy students throughout the rural Mohawk Valley district.

  “People really depend on this food,” said CVUE food service worker Amy Johnston as she lined up hundreds of bags ready to be

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• NYSUT issues endorsements in state races, federal races

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  ALBANY, N.Y. May 29, 2020 — New York State United Teachers today issued another round of endorsements in more than 20 races for state legislative offices and recommended more than a dozen congressional candidates for endorsements by the union’s national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers and National Education Association.

  “Now more than ever, it’s clear that public schools are cornerstones of our communities, and we need representatives across New York who recognize that and will fight for public education in the halls of power,” NYSUT President Andy Pallotta said. “We are confident that the dozens of candidates we’ve endorsed already this election cycle are the

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• Pallotta: 'We cannot overlook the need to reimagine how we invest in public schools'

  Opening Remarks by NYSUT President Andy Pallotta to the Reimagining Education Advisory Council Meeting

  May 27, 2020

  Good evening, and thank you for the opportunity to be here today. It is my honor to represent more than 600,000 NYSUT members from every community in every part of New York.

  Now more than ever, New Yorkers are seeing the vital role that public schools and public educators play. It’s not just parents seeing how much work goes into educating their children and inspiring them to learn – though that is clearly part of it.

  People are seeing that public schools are at the core of our communities. Even in the midst of this pandemic, public schools and their

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