ALBANY, N.Y. Sept. 22, 2017 — New York State United Teachers President Andrew Pallotta today issued the following statement in support of those dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico:
“Many NYSUT members and the students they serve have families in Puerto Rico whose lives have been upended by Hurricane Maria’s destruction. Victimized, too, were our colleagues on the island who are represented by the American Federation of Teachers, NYSUT’s national affiliate. Our union will begin reaching out immediately to help those now suffering the storm’s damaging effects and its aftermath, as well as NYSUT members and students who may be struggling emotionally as their families confront the difficult challenge of rebuilding their lives. Despite the physical distance that separates us, Hurricane Maria hits close to home for NYSUT, and we stand ready to do everything in our power to assist victims in their recovery.”
Follow updates on NYSUT disaster relief efforts at www.nysut.org/disasterrelief
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.