In a rousing Saturday address, National Education Association President Becky Pringle saluted the lifelong work of retiring president Andy Pallotta and welcomed NYSUT’s newest slate of officers, which includes incoming president Melinda Person, and Executive Vice President Jaime Ciffone.
“It brings such a smile to my face to see this hand over in power,” said Pringle. “NYSUT can’t be in better hands than in the hands of Melinda Person.”
Pringle also praised the statewide union for its steadfast work to protect the rights of educators. “Educators are dealing with attacks and threats to their professional integrity and … ensuring that students have access and resources to learn the true and complete history of our nation,” said Pringle who quipped that NYSUT is getting sh*t done. “NYSUT has taken on the role of defending freedom and is doing it from a place of hope and power.”
“We will reclaim public education as a public good and transform it into a racially and socially just educational system that prepares every student to succeed,” said Pringle who pledged NEA’s support alongside NYSUT in those battles. “Ours is a struggle of a lifetime — thank you for what you do for our students, educators, this union and this country.”