NYSUT honored State Sen. Robert Jackson Friday afternoon at the NYSUT RA with the Albert Shanker Award for Distinguished Service. Jackson received the award for his persistence and ongoing commitment to fighting for the rights of working people. It recognizes individuals who’ve made special contributions to public education in the United States.
Jackson launched the Campaign for Fiscal Equity lawsuit which found that New York City children were being denied a sound, basic education due to a lack of resources, winning $16 billion in school funding in 2003. Jackson continues to advocate for the working class and is an outspoken advocate for improving pension Tiers 5 and 6.
“I express my deepest gratitude to NYSUT for bestowing upon me the highest honor … but more than that, I want to express my dedication to the cause that we hold dear,” said Jackson. “When it came to reforming Tier 6 and reducing case sizes, we kept hearing it can’t be done … I’m here to say yes we can, and I look forward to working with you!”