UPDATES
The National Day of Action Dec. 9 is an opportunity to raise our voices in unison and to connect NYSUT's ongoing campaign to support public education in New York state with the growing national movement.
What We're Calling For in New York State
- fair funding for public schools and colleges;
- a three-year moratorium on high-stakes consequences of state standardized tests; and
- a renewed focus on teaching and learning, not testing!
What You Can Do
Wear the color blue Dec. 9 in solidarity and support for public education and the people who do this work every day: early childhood staff, teachers and other professionals, school related professionals, and higher education staff and faculty. NYSUT members, parents and community members are urged to participate.
Sign the letter. Tell the Board of Regents and Commissioner King why you're wearing blue on Dec. 9. Tell them to commit to New Year's resolutions for 2014 to help us reclaim the promise of public education.
Plan an event with your local union and community. Toolkits from AFT and NEA provide ideas and resources. For example: organize a blue "smart mob" - a flash mob assembled on behalf of an intelligent cause - to advocate for public education.
Share your photos. Wear blue, share blue. Send us your photos of blue solidarity via email or social media. We'll post your photos as a massive message in support of public education.
Spread the word.
What's at Stake
Students, parents and educators are reeling from sea changes that threaten the promise of public education. In New York State, those include chronic underfunding of public schools and higher education, an undemocratic tax cap, lack of access to affordable higher education, an obsession with testing, lack of support for teaching and learning, insufficient staffing and layoffs.
Throughout the day on Dec. 9, NYSUT - in partnership with AQE, Citizen Action and other allies in locations across the state - will highlight our solutions for great public schools and colleges.
NYSUT and community leaders also will meet with their respective Regents and urge them to accelerate support to our schools and make the course corrections that are needed to get it right.
On Dec. 9, we will create a sea of blue across New York because we want change that supports teaching and learning in our public schools and colleges.
Partners
The National Day of Action is supported by a broad coalition of more than 100 union and community partners, including the AFT, NEA, AFL-CIO, Alliance for Quality Education and Citizen Action.