There’s an old saying that goes, “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Well, New York’s public educators sure have been squeezing a lot of lemons lately.
From education funding cuts that are resulting in layoffs, to health and safety concerns and hybrid learning plans, public schools are facing unprecedented challenges.
We are in crisis. And the people most at risk are the ones who can afford it the least: the students we serve.
We must come together in every community to make sure that students and educators have a safe and enriching school environment — whether their classes meet remotely, hybrid or in-person.
As the statewide union representing educators and school professionals, my organization – NYSUT – has been working overtime to fight budget cuts and unsafe conditions that have been threatening our students. Without a doubt, it has been the most challenging back-to-school season in memory.
But last month — after a particularly sour stretch — we finally got to enjoy a nice sip of sweet lemonade.
After we filed a lawsuit challenging budget cuts, state officials announced they were putting the brakes on a proposal to make a 20 percent cut in state aid to school districts at the end of this month. This was a big win for schools and students.
Many school districts have their backs against the wall — they have no other resources to tap. The state already withheld $300 million in funding for July, August and September. And for districts like Schenectady and Albany, who depend heavily on state funding, hundreds of educators and school staff have already been laid off.
When it comes to helping students get the education they deserve, and keeping our members safe, we’ll use every tool at our disposal to get the job done.
Out in Western New York, our legal department prepared a legal complaint on behalf of members at the Orleans-Niagara BOCES. Administrators there ignored state COVID-19 protocols. Student desks were as close as three feet apart … there wasn’t enough personal protective equipment … and cleaning and disinfection protocols were inconsistent. Health screenings for staff and students were also hit or miss.
Since that BOCES serves students from 13 different school districts, has nine different sites and its students travel back and forth between it and their home districts, the situation was a recipe for disaster. One that could have potentially exposed staff, students and the larger community to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Health and safety have got to be top priorities for every school district in the state. All schools must have proper ventilation … use adequate social distancing … and follow state-approved testing and tracing protocols. If these marks aren’t being met, we intend to hold their feet to the fire.
We’re also going to bat for those most at-risk for COVID-19 infection. Individuals with serious medical conditions. Just as we advocated for the right of students to learn remotely to stay safe, we’re speaking up on behalf of educators.
Despite state guidance directing districts to offer telework options to faculty and staff whose health conditions put them at high-risk for COVID-19, many districts aren’t honoring these requests.
That leaves educators with a difficult choice — their livelihood or their lives. To protect members forced to make that choice, NYSUT filed two lawsuits in September, one against the Watkins Glen Central School District in Schuyler County, and another against the Yonkers City School District in Westchester County.
The lawsuits challenge the districts’ policies and allege that their denials are at odds with guidance from New York State’s Department of Health.
In both districts, individuals with clear, documented health risks weren’t allowed to work remotely — educators with conditions like kidney transplants, heart disease, severe respiratory disease and late-stage, chronic kidney disease.
That these districts would willingly put vulnerable staff at-risk is unbelievable. It literally forces them to choose between a paycheck and, potentially, their lives.
To say it’s been a busy start to the school year would be an understatement. But I’m confident that whatever comes up, we can meet it head on. As we mourn the loss of the legendary Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, I’m inspired by her words, “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
I’ll never stop fighting for the needs of our state’s students and educators. And I hope that you’ll follow my lead.
Andy Pallotta, a former elementary teacher, is president of the more than 600,000-member New York State United Teachers.
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