The headline on NYSUT's news release following last month's statewide school budget vote was straightforward: "Voters approve record 97.33 percent of schools' budgets."

But, as is often the case with statistics, it didn't tell the whole story. This year's budget votes — cast under the cloud of a deep recession and painfully high unemployment — were more complex than at any time in recent memory.

In the past, at the direction of our local leaders, NYSUT delivered a simple message: "Vote yes." Record investments in education and consistent measurable academic progress supported our position. In the "Alice in Wonderland" realities of school district budgets in 2009, however, many of the tens of thousands of votes cast across New York state were layered with nuances and incongruities not easily peeled back.

Neighboring communities were faced with vastly different budget options. Some district budgets were crafted to put students first while — just across the street — budgets were regressive and undermined the progress achieved over many years of investment and hard work.

And, in some districts, a "no" vote may have actually been a "yes" vote in support of quality education. In Schenectady, for example, the budget that voters rejected provided fewer financial resources than the contingency budget the school board may eventually have to adopt.

Yes, Alice, "yes" might mean "no" and "no" might mean "yes"— it is that kind of a year!

Show of support

Still, the record support for budgets across the state once again overwhelmingly demonstrates the value our local communities place on education and the confidence New Yorkers have in their public schools. It demonstrates how clearly they understand that for the economy to turn around, their schools must be able to provide the skilled graduates who can and should be the mainstays of a strong work force. The experts tell us that it will be a different-looking economy, and our communities are telling us they want their students to be ready.

The May vote showed something else as well, something that the New York Times recognized in its May 24 report, "Reading, Writing and Recession." This year's budget vote made it clear that teachers, administrators and the community at large clearly understand that we are all in this together and that, when given a chance to work together, we can — and will — do what's best for our children.

The spending plans put before voters last month were, by and large, responsible budgets that acknowledged the pain many families — including the families of NYSUT members — are feeling during this recession.

With significant help from federal stimulus funds, our local leaders in many districts worked collaboratively with administrators and school boards to keep their tax rates manageable and, at the same time, deliver the educational quality expected by their communities. Sacrifices were made, creative ways to control district costs were crafted, compromises were struck and, as a result, most schools in New York will be able to maintain — at least for now — the academic success they've achieved during more prosperous times.

As Marianne Amato, president of our local in Tuckahoe, told the Times: "Everybody really understood that this is a different time and we have to do something to help as a community of teachers."

That's not to say, of course, that all the budgets put before voters were the result of collaborative efforts. Some districts — Rochester comes immediately to mind — did not collaborate. The cuts in programs and positions in Rochester, if enacted, will have a serious negative impact on the delivery of educational services. These cuts have led Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski to rightfully question whether federal stimulus funds — money that had been specifically earmarked by Congress and President Obama to maintain academic programs and protect jobs — were wisely allocated.

Several other districts used the fiscal crisis as an excuse to cut programs, teachers and other school personnel. In some of these communities, the voting public saw right through these mischievous efforts and rejected those budgets.

There was one more important message that came out of this year's budget votes as well. The citizens of New York clearly demonstrated that they want to determine their educational priorities and set the course for their local schools.

By way of a 97-plus percent adoption rate, they have once again embraced local control and repudiated arbitrary property tax caps handed down from Albany. Hopefully legislators — and the governor — took note.

Health care concerns

As this issue of New York Teacher went to press, our final scheduled lobby day was being held in Albany. About 100 of our health care members met with their legislators to advocate for a package of bills NYSUT supports.

Passage of legislation establishing minimum nurse-to-patient ratios, protecting home care nurses from mandatory overtime abuse and addressing school nurse staffing standards — among other bills — will go a long way toward guaranteeing safe and productive workplace environments.

These safeguards would help our health care professionals to provide the quality services that patients and students in New York deserve.

NYSUT nurses and other health professionals traveled to Albany this week at great personal sacrifice to join colleagues from around the state to advocate not just for themselves, but for all of us.

Like so many of our members — in pre-K through grade 12, in higher education and in private and public institutions of service to the neediest in our communities — they understand the importance of taking part in advocacy events. These events demonstrate their commitment — the commitment we all share — to the professions we represent and toil in each and every day.

Yes, Alice, sometimes up sounds like down and down sounds like up, but our actions — in solidarity — speak louder than words.