Governor Kathy Hochul addressed NYSUT delegates at the 52nd Representative Assembly in New York City on Friday. The governor has worked with NYSUT on a variety of education initiatives, such as addressing student mental health needs, higher education funding, apprenticeship and training for new teachers, including educators in the Workplace Violence Protection law, and securing the largest fix to New York’s broken pension system in two decades.
The governor thanked all of the educators in the room, saying that as we head into Teacher Appreciation Week, “we appreciate teachers every day here in the state of New York.” Hochul also paid tribute to one of her teachers, Peter James, who passed away last year. “He opened up my mind to the power of government.” When Hochul said her goal was to be a staffer for a Senator or member of Congress, Mr. James pushed her harder to aim higher and dream bigger.