In 2003, NYSUT and other education advocates showed their strength.

Five years later, that strength is still remembered.

On May 3, 2003, tens of thousands of NYSUT members, their families, parents and other education supporters traveled to Albany to make their voices heard, denouncing Gov. George Pataki's plan for cuts to the education budget that would have severely hurt public education.

NYSUT leaders felt lawmakers needed a public nudge in order to restore many of those cuts.

"I've never seen such an exciting coalition," Janice Fiore, a school library-media specialist and member of the Chenango Forks Teachers Association, said at the time.

"The May 3 rally was a big gamble," said Tom Hobart, then the NYSUT president, now retired. "If it wasn't spectacular, it would be a flop."

Months of planning weren't enough to quell all nerves. "At 9:30 in the morning, I was looking over an empty plaza," Hobart said. "Even though the rally didn't start for another few hours, it was a sinking feeling, seeing the huge space that needed to be filled."

A few hours later, buses were parking and people were streaming in to the concrete pad-and-reflecting-pool expanse of the Empire State Plaza: the sea of people stretched from the State Museum to the Capitol building.

There were thousands of voices speaking for public education, becoming one solitary voice.

"Public education is an issue that everyone can stand behind because it affects our children, our future," said NYSUT Executive Vice President Alan Lubin.

The speakers ranged from state legislative leaders Joseph Bruno and Sheldon Silver to activist television actress Cynthia Nixon, a public school mother in New York City.

The rally made its mark. On May 15, lawmakers overwhelmingly overrode all 119 of the governor's vetoes of nearly $2 billion in restorations to K-12, higher education and health care.

The historic override was a visible symbol of NYSUT's reach.

But, Lubin said, " Albany has a very short memory. The good things that came out of the rally must be renewed." In these tough economic times, the need for more political action intensifies.

Legislators too often say they're not hearing from constituents, Lubin said. That's why NYSUT emphasizes grassroots activism, including lobby days several times a year. "Political action does work," said Lubin. "Apathy never does."

The political wheel turns again. Five years later, there's a need to maintain commitments made to invest in public education, especially in higher education.

And, if a huge public rally would make a difference, NYSUT knows it can pull it off.

"We're getting close to a need for something similar to reaffirm our causes," said Lubin.

— Amanda Martini-Hughes