May 2012 Issue
April 18, 2012

Your stories can help shape legislation

Author: Wendy Hord
Source: NYSUT United

NYSUT's Task Force on Health and Safety has prioritized two bills for this year's legislative session.

One establishes a maximum temperature in New York school and college buildings, and the other would include K-12 schools in a workplace violence prevention regulation already in effect for all other public employers in New York.

Part of the advocacy campaign is to solicit stories from members affected by these issues so we can demonstrate to legislators that these protections are greatly needed.

If you have been impacted by high building/room temperatures, we want to hear from you. Tell us about your experiences regarding the health and learning impacts on you and your students, and on classroom functions (equipment, experiments and animals).

If you have been hit, kicked, bitten, threatened by a student, parent, administrator, co-worker or school visitor, or have been injured from restraining a student, we want to hear how the incident affected you and your co-workers.

Send your stories to pshands@nysutmail.org. Let us know where you are located, with a specific school district, campus, or town. (Your name is optional). Let us know if you might be willing to testify at a hearing, visit legislators in their local offices with other NYSUT members, or talk to your colleagues about joining these advocacy efforts.