Great public schools for every child are a "matter of principle" and the centerpiece of the union's new statewide media campaign featuring billboards, radio and newspaper advertising.

• MEDIA RELEASE: NYSUT launches statewide media campaign: 'It's a Matter of Principle'

The campaign praises Gov. Spitzer's budget plan for providing additional state resources for all public schools as well as for public higher education. "This is a commitment to make historic increases to schools most in need with high numbers of children in poverty," said NYSUT President Dick Iannuzzi.

The Legislature is working on a budget that "starts from the strongest executive budget proposal in years," said Iannuzzi.

The NYSUT media campaign applauds the emphasis on "resources, reform and results" and calls it "the right direction for New York state."

Campaign billboards greet state lawmakers and their policy mavens as they motor into Albany on Interstates 787 and 90.

The ads urge lawmakers not to be detoured by proposals that would be bad public policy. One proposal would subsidize private school tuition through a tax credit. A second proposal would lift the cap on the number of charter schools statewide.

"A private school tuition tax credit would be a back-door subsidy of schools that aren't open to all children," one ad says. "Nor should public funds be directed to more charter schools without much-needed reforms. Taxpayers have neither a voice nor a vote in the proliferation" of charter schools.

Iannuzzi has been featured in radio, newspaper and television interviews across the state praising the governor's commitment to public education while sharing concerns about the private school/charter proposals.

While NYSUT respects the right of parents to send their children to private schools, the union believes New York taxpayers should not have to subsidize that choice. Private schools have limited public accountability for student performance or how to spend funds.

With charter schools, the union believes that greater accountability measures must be implemented, particularly for fairness and fiscal reasons at the local level.

NYSUT research has shown that most charter schools do not outperform comparable public schools. Charter schools are educating disproportionately fewer numbers of special ed students and English language learners.

For more on the "It's a matter of principle" campaign, go to www.nysut.org.

- Kevin Hart