Saturday, March 27, 2004.

A line of delegates including Cecelia McCall, PSC; Dick Iannuzzi, Central Islip TA; and John Soldini, UFT, wait to speak to resolutions.

Seeking to assure that no child is left behind for any reason, delegates approved a series of resolutions aimed at taking the inequities out of the federal government's much-criticized education program and giving middle-level schools and their struggling students the tools they need.

Delegates sparred over proposals opposing an extension of the USA Patriot Act and war and occupation in Iraq.

With the State Education Department making plans to revise its policy on middle-level education, delegates approved a sweeping plan that emphasizes the scheduling flexibility available to districts in existing state regulations; recommends class-size limits; calls for continuation of experimental middle-level schools; and recommends SED analyze eighth-grade state test scores to determine why results have been disappointing.

Reflecting a growing national concern over the shortcomings of the federal "No Child Left Behind" act, delegates approved a resolution calling for full federal funding of NCLB and its mandates; a better system for determining Annual Yearly Progress; and opposition to penalizing schools based on the performance of a single sub-group of students. Delegates referred to NYSUT's Board a proposal that the union lobby for an end to the NCLB provision that requires high schools receiving federal funds to provide military recruiters with information on students.

In the absence of "clear and convincing long-term evidence" that charter schools are living up to their promise, delegates supported a moratorium on creation of any new charters and recommended ways the Legislature could minimize the financial impact of charter schools on local districts.

Among 116 resolutions considered, delegates affirmed the union's longtime support for career and technical education, urging the state to give more recognition to CTE students in preparing Regents Exams and issuing diplomas.

The union went on record opposing the use of uncertified teachers in any classroom.

Delegates okayed measures recognizing the special needs of small locals, calling on the NYSUT Board to consider adding a director-at-large for small locals; seeking assistance and encouragement to small locals under siege; and calling for greater solidarity among NYSUT's "eclectic collection" of local unions.

Concerned about the loss of faculty and staff at New York's higher education institutions - particularly at State and City University campuses - the union will continue to seek more state funds for SUNY and CUNY.

Delegates pledged NYSUT to continue the fight for quality health care for all, including current and future recipients of Medicare.

Iraq debate

In approving a resolution of support for U.S. troops in Iraq, delegates debated - and ultimately rejected - an amendment to put NYSUT on record opposing the war and occupation of Iraq.

"It's not everyone's view, but it's our duty and privilege to be able to debate this issue," said the sponsor of the amendment, Professional Staff Congress President Barbara Bowen, a NYSUT Board member.

Without an amendment, Bowen said, the resolution did little more than echo the Bush administration's position on the war.

Not so, argued John Soldini of the United Federation of Teachers. "This amendment plays into Bush's hands by dividing us."

When a voice vote was too close to call, the more than 2,000 delegates had to go to a rare show of hands to defeat a measure that would have committed NYSUT to oppose an expected successor to the USA Patriot Act.

"It's poor policy to oppose something that doesn't even exist yet," Board member Rod Sherman, president of the Plattsburgh Teachers Association, said in seeking to strike that section from a resolution criticizing parts of the current Patriot Act.

"There have certainly been enough press reports on Patriot II," countered PSC Vice President Steve London, who noted that Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has opposed its extension. "I see no reason why we can't put our imprimatur on it."

Delegates did call for an easing of post-9/11 restrictions that have created "an increasingly inhospitable climate" for international grad students and others studying and working in the U.S.

Higher ed

NYSUT will support reforms in the state's Tuition Assistance Program to provide equity for part-time students and those who are financially independent, yet most in need of financial aid.

The union will promote the efforts of its national affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers, and the American Association of University Professors to protect part-time faculty as those organizations work to convince colleges to increase the proportion of full-time faculty.

Delegates approved a measure that would encourage the state to recognize college attendance and related study outside the classroom as work, allowing those on public assistance to attend college and improve chances of getting a better job without jeopardizing their temporary benefits.

The union will support legislation now in both houses of the Legislature to prevent CUNY and SUNY from using only standardized tests to assess candidates for bachelor's degrees. The measure would encourage a review of a student's "entire academic and community portfolio" in judging applicants.

Health-related issues

Vowing to continue the fight to provide quality health care for seniors, delegates firmly opposed efforts to privatize Medicare.

They urged AARP members to withdraw their membership over the group's support of last year's deficient prescription Medicare bill in Congress and urged retirees to throw their support to the Alliance of Retired Americans, a national coalition of AFL-CIO-affiliated unions and community-based organizations.

Delegates resolved to continue to fight for a better Medicare law, including access to Canadian and Western European drugs and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. Meanwhile, the union will continue to oppose any Medicare prescription drug bill that would cause NYSUT members to lose coverage under any of the state employee health insurance plans, and will look at the issue of banning the advertising of prescription drugs.

Delegates endorsed a package of provisions aimed at increasing safety in school pools, including a proposal to require that all instructors be trained in the use of Automatic External Defibrillators, and called on NYSUT to seek state legislation requiring AEDs in all public colleges and universities and at their sporting events.

The union will support an increase in workers' compensation benefits in New York state; work with other labor advocates to shore up the state's unemployment insurance trust fund; and continue to look for ways to guarantee health coverage that all members can take into retirement.

Pension issues

Delegates approved measures to protect current and future retirees. NYSUT will seek legislation to provide that all new part-time and per-diem employees be automatically enrolled in the retirement system, and to give new CUNY and SUNY staff up to a year to choose a retirement plan.

The union will continue to support reforms to Social Security to increase its long-term solvency, and oppose federal efforts to create individual private accounts.

Delegates also directed the union to seek to:

• allow teachers laid off during New York City's 1975 fiscal crisis to purchase service credits for time they were laid off;
• reduce the vesting period for disability retirement from 10 years to five; and
• provide half-pay pensions after 20 years rather than 25.

They called on NYSUT to support legislation that would allow anyone not given an opportunity to enroll in TRS before a break in service to be put into that earlier tier when they return to service.

With occupational and physical therapists particularly at risk, NYSUT will "aggressively" seek to prevent further privatization of BOCES services. With classroom space in short supply in many districts, delegates also endorsed a proposal to provide state aid incentives to school districts that increase the number of classrooms for BOCES programs in school construction projects, and to those that maintain leases for existing BOCES classrooms.

Taking note of the landmark Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 that established the 40-hour work week, delegates committed NYSUT to join with the AFL-CIO to oppose any attempt by the Bush administration to disqualify more workers from overtime protections now provided by that act.

Delegates supported proposals that would require at least two K-12 teachers on the state Board of Regents and a teacher to serve in an advisory capacity on every school board.

Delegates urged the union to commit itself to protecting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students from discrimination and harassment because of their sexual orientation, and continue to lobby for passage in the Legislature of the Dignity for All Students Act, aimed at dealing with discrimination against students for reasons ranging from race to sexual orientation.

Delegates committed the statewide union to oppose a federal marriage amendment to the U.S. constitution that would limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman. "Never in the history of our country has the constitution been amended to punish a group of people," said Alice Conroy of the Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, in support of the measure.

Delegates approved a Special Order of Business submitted by Judith Wishnia of UUP Stony Brook offering the union's condolences to the people of Spain, victims of recent terrorism.