NYSUT officers and other coalition leaders are criss-crossing New York state to spread the word about the dangers of voucher schemes disguised as education tax credits.
February 18, 2006
School funding is the hot topic. Public school funding was a hot topic at the state Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators 35th annual legislative conference in February. "Given the challenges that public schools already face," NYSUT First Vice President Maria Neira to a capacity crowd at the caucus' education panel, "it's difficult to understand how diverting hundreds of millions of dollars to a back-door voucher scheme helps address the achievement gaps." Seated behind Neira in the above photo is Dennis M. Walcott, New York City's Deputy Mayor for Education and Community Development.
Family reading. NYSUT First Vice President Maria Neira offers the American Federation of Teachers' family reading guide to students Destiny and Corrine Maikels, ages 8 and 6, at the state Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislators 35th annual legislative conference. The AFT is NYSUT's national affiliate. School funding was a hot topic at this year's conference.
February 10, 2006
Back in the classroom. NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi - a fourth-grade teacher in Central Islip up until he was elected to statewide office in 2004 - speaks with students Angelo Grillo (left) and John Rivera in Laurie Reitz's kindergarten class at Lake Shore Elementary School. Looking on are NYSUT's Mike Preskop and Lake Shore Classroom Teachers Association President Rosemarie Murphy. Iannuzzi is meeting with union members and leaders around the state to warn them about the voucher schemes proposed in the state budget.
February 9, 2006
Spreading the word in Western New York. "I invite anyone who supports these back-door voucher schemes to come look in the faces of the hard-working Niagara Falls teachers and their students and explain to them how they are supposed to survive on even less public school funding," said NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi, addressing a packed room of NYSUT members at Niagara Falls High School. "It's easy to sit in Albany and think of issues in terms of dollars and political ideology, but these are real students and educators who need a lifeline, and real taxpayers who don't want their tax dollars going to private institutions." [Read the full story.]
February 13, 2006
A coalition is born. NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi, right, and New York State Educational Conference Board Chair Edward McCormick address reporters at a press conference February 13, 2006. Iannuzzi called the proposed education tax credit "nothing more than a Trojan horse of back-door vouchers that would drain $400 million from our students' right to a sound basic education." The press conference was sponsored by a coalition of parents, educators and other organizations representing millions of New Yorkers.
United against voucher schemes. NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi, left, flanked by anti-voucher coalition partners Janet Ahola of the New York State Parent Teachers Association; Barbara Bartoletti of the New York State League of Women Voters; Kathy Lyons of NEA-NY; and Michael Davoli of the Alliance for Quality Education. The Feb. 13, 2006, press conference was sponsored by a broad coalition of parents, educators and other organizations representing millions of New Yorkers.
