ALBANY, N.Y. March 7, 2017 — The following is a statement from NYSUT President Karen E. Magee on behalf of the NYSUT officers:
“NYSUT mourns the tragic death of our sister Elizabeth Gonzalez, a beloved teacher’s aide and member of the Schenectady Federation of Teachers. Her life, cut short in a horrific act of domestic violence, underscores our resolve to educate our members across the state of the all-too-real threats of violence in the home — and most importantly, the avenues for help and protection.”
The statewide union held its first ever conference March 3-4 dedicated to women’s priorities, including a panel presentation highlighting the dangers of domestic violence. Magee said that as this information is rolled out to NYSUT’s 600,000 members statewide, “we will memorialize and pay tribute to Elizabeth Gonzalez in hopes that we can raise awareness of the very real threats, and the sources of help and protection.”
New York State United Teachers is a statewide union with more than 600,000 members in education, human services and health care. NYSUT is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and the AFL-CIO.