Secretary-Treasurer Lee Cutler

Are we teaching our students to be too cooperative? Are we preparing them for a role in participating in and maintaining our democracy?

Standardized testing certainly has a place in our schools, and skillful classroom management is essential for effective teaching, but I wonder whether some have forgotten one of our most important roles as teachers and school-related professionals.

At a recent school administrator's meeting, Kerry Kennedy recalled a statement she had heard from a Catholic school sister: "Silence is golden and sometimes yellow."

These are profound words that could guide all of us in rethinking our approach to schools and education.

I would argue that we are not fulfilling our role as keepers of a democracy when we subtly and not so subtly discourage our students from speaking out when they see injustice. I agree with Kerry Kennedy, who is really stating that silence is appropriate in certain situations, but silence to injustice is unacceptable.

Throughout the state, many teachers appreciate and understand that schools have a responsibility to teach about social justice. These NYSUT members recognize that we have an obligation to graduate students who are aware of injustices in the world, and aware they can be part of a solution.

These educators see our public school system as a perfect laboratory for practicing democracy. They recognize that inherent in our children is the passion to do what's right for others, especially when the victims of injustice are their own peers.

The Genocide and Human Rights Institute in western New York is a model of engaging students in a curriculum-rich experience that links the Holocaust to contemporary genocide. But it doesn't stop there. Each student in the institute develops an action plan to do their part in changing the world.

Reverse Trick-or-Treating showcased how we can incorporate meaningful learning into action, and how to teach our students to unleash their remarkable power as consumers.

In Brentwood, Wappingers Falls, Pearl River and many other locations, kids did something about Fair Trade chocolate beyond just learning about it. They raised awareness of the horrific practice of child labor used by major chocolate companies.

At West Brentwood Middle School, Ann Kelly from the Labor- Religion Coalition; Nadia Resnikoff, NYSUT Board member; Nancy Close, chair of NYSUT's Fair Trade Committee; and I recently spoke to eighth-graders in Pam O'Brien's elective in Fair Trade.

Ms. O'Brien had used this opportunity to teach poetic devices and had asked each student to write a poem from the perspective of a child slave. Each poem started with, "Where are you, Bobby?" in response to lessons they learned about the late Robert F. Kennedy and the role he played in social justice.

That same evening, we delivered the poems to RFK's daughter, Kerry, who was moved by the understanding and sincerity they reflected.

As we continue our important work in social justice, it is essential that we find a way to bring these lessons to our students.

This has to be done if we are to graduate a generation of young adults keenly aware of their social responsibility in the world, and the power they enjoy collectively.

As always, keep reaching out to me about social justice work going on in your local or your area, and as always, please send us any social justice lesson, as informal as you'd like it to be, so we can post it as part of our RFK project.

Women's issues

We are looking to raise awareness of issues that impact women: domestic violence, equal pay, and subtle and not-so-subtle sexism. Our goal is to focus on these issues in the upcoming months. 

Watch for the Social Justice and Labor Center page as we post articles and updates on action items surrounding women's issues. 

For now, a good start is to go to the recently released Shriver Report, which "presents an accurate and detailed portrait of American women and families at this transformational moment in our history."

I think you'll find the report both current and informative."