Public schools unite us. They were established as the great equalizer — welcoming children from all backgrounds and guaranteeing them the state constitutional right to a sound, basic education.
They’re a source of civic pride. Communities share with students and families the triumphs of graduation, the thrill of school sports, and the joy of school plays, concerts and art shows.
Our entire community – parents and educators alike — share the same goal: We want our children to receive an education that gives them the freedom to follow their dreams.
That’s why it’s essential that we all unite to get involved this school budget season. Turnout for funding our most precious resource, our children and their future, is historically low. Parents and teachers must work together to advocate for our schools to get students the resources they need.
Thanks to NYSUT’s activism, the New York state budget this year delivered historic resources for education. This includes a promise to fully fund Foundation Aid. That’s a critical step years in the making to ensure every student has access to a high-quality education across our state.
These investments come after two of the most difficult years in education we have ever seen. According to a recent survey by the National Education Association, 90 percent of educators are feeling burned out. We know that parents and students feel the same way. Now more than ever, it is critical that we give our schools resources they deserve to continue the excellent work they have done under the most unthinkable conditions.
We need Board members who continue to push back on over-testing, and who will advocate for wrap-around services that meet family needs so students are better prepared to learn when they come to class.
Throughout my entire career, I’ve heard it said that teachers’ teaching conditions are students’ learning conditions. That is 100 percent true. We need better classroom infrastructure. We need to do more to recruit new teachers and retain those working in public schools. We need teachers’ expertise to be valued. All of these things also support students, and that is something we should never stop fighting for.
I’m asking you to please vote on May 17th.
Public education is not for one class of people or people with one set of ideologies or the other. It is for all students. It is for all families. It is for all communities. Public schools are where ALL of us, regardless of background or ZIP code, can come together to learn.
Support for strong public schools creates the conditions that lead to student success. And that is something that we can all get behind.
Andy Pallotta, a former elementary teacher, is president of the more than 600,000-member New York State United Teachers.
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