Tag: PJSTA

PJSTA Flashback: 38 years ago!

A friend of ours sent this along.  The newspaper clipping below, from the Long Island Press dated September 8, 1976 tells the story of three Long Island locals who voted to authorize strikes.  One of those locals was your very own PJSTA!  In case your eyes don’t allow you to read it, the part about our local says…

Meanwhile, Comsewogue teachers (Port Jefferson Station) were to hear at dawn today whether night-long negotiations had reached a settlement, or whether they would strike.

Bill Hippner, spokesman for the teachers said their president, Robert Carr, would call the strike this morning if their was no settlement.  The 6:30 a.m. meeting was in the theatre at the Arcade shopping center.

As you enjoy your Labor Day weekend, let this article be a good reminder of the courage that our predecessors in the PJSTA showed in order to win many of the benefits that remain in our contract today.

On a side note, Bill Hippner’s work for our union continued long after he retired.  As recently as this past May he was still serving as the retirement representative on our Representative Council.  If you touch base with him at all be sure to thank him for the immeasurable amount of work he did for our union!

Teacher_Strike_9-8-76

Links on Teachout & NYSUT

I’ve been out of commission for a few days as I had some laptop issues resolved.  However I am back in action and have a few links to pass on that we should all be reading.

First to Zephyr Teachout, the PJSTA endorsed gubernatorial candidate…

There will be a a rally in support of Teachout on Thursday, September 4th at 4:30.  All PJSTA members should be there.  Teachout, Beth Dimino, Carol Burris, Kevin Glynn, and Jeanette Deutermann will be among the attendees and speakers.  More information at the bottom of this post.

The Long Island Press quotes Teachout as saying her first order of business would be working to eliminate the Common Core in New York State and dismissing commissioner John King.  Via the Long Island Press…

Teachout has been equally outspoken against Common Core, the education reform created by the National Governor’s Association and the Council of State School Officers and implemented to what many are calling disastrous results under the leadership of Cuomo and his appointed Commissioner of Education John King.

Teachout said the first order of business if she was to beat Cuomo would be the elimination of Common Core, and King as commissioner.

“John King has failed to listen to parents and teachers who have spoken up forcefully about the problems with high stakes testing and privatization of public schools, and is the wrong person for the job,” she said.

“Listening” is a key component of being governor, she stressed amid the market. “He’s not a good listener.”

The more you hear her speak the more you wonder what NYSUT possibly could have been thinking when they chose not to endorse her.

Speaking of NYSUT, we have a few good links on the double pension scandal that broke last week…

Over at the Perdido Street School blog, Reality-Based Educator says the Cuomo/NYSUT double pension deal needs to be investigated.

Sean Crownley from the B-LoEdScene blog says that NYSUT leadership needs to explain themselves or resign.

Arthur Goldstein at NYC Educator talks about the poor defense arguments that NYSUT leadership’s mouthpieces are offering up.

Here is the information on Thursday’s Teachout rally…

 

The PJSTA Welcomes Our New Activists!

Today the PJSTA welcomed twelve new members to our local.  Our new brothers and sisters are excited to bring their energy and activism to the PJSTA as we embark on another school year that will, once again, require more work than ever before as the fight for public education wages on.

The new members had an opportunity to meet their mentors, be briefed on who the PJSTA is, and then mingle with fellow teachers and district administrators.  We look forward to the many skills and talents that they will bring to our local this year!

Brand new PJSTA members plus some old lady in the blue shirt.
Brand new PJSTA members plus some old lady in the blue shirt.

Zephyr Teachout to Speak at PJSTA Conference Day

It is with great pleasure that the PJSTA welcomes gubernatorial candidate Zephyr Teachout as a guest speaker at our general membership meeting on September 2nd, the first day of school.  Teachout is running against Governor Cuomo in the September 9th Democratic Primary.  She has recently endeared herself to public school teachers with an education platform that is very supportive of the work we do.  You can read more about Teachout’s public education plans here.  We will follow up with more details in the coming days.

Katie Kleinpeter Takes the Challenge!

Earlier today we told you of Rob Pearl’s departure from the PJSTA.  The silver lining is that when leaders of an organization leave it opens a spot for new leaders to step in.  I have always viewed Katie Kleinpeter as a future leader of our union.  She contributes in virtually every manner possible, attending rallies and pickets, making phone calls, even attending our Diane Ravitch Book Club last fall!  This year Katie will begin her first full year on the PJSTA’s Executive Board as Clinton Avenue’s senior building representative.

It should come as no surprise that when Beth Dimino called out the PJSTA membership to take the #IceBucketChallenge Katie Kleinpeter stepped up to the plate.  Here is Katie…

Thank You Rob Pearl

PJSTA  1st Vice-President Rob Pearl accepted a job today as the interim principal at Norwood Elementary School.  Anybody who knows Rob knows that Norwood is tremendously fortunate to have him.  Congratulations to him.  There are few people I have come across who deserve good things happening to them as much as Rob.

Rob has been a dedicated member of the PJSTA’s executive board for several years.  Additionally he has served on the last negotiating team and on the PJSTA’s LAP team.  He has been a NYSUT and AFT delegate and has been the chair of the PJSTA’s grievance committee.  If you have been to any rally, picket, or event in support of public education over the past few years then you have certainly seen Rob Pearl there as he is the very definition of an activist.  Unofficially he has served as Beth Dimino’s chauffeur as well!

While he accepts the interim principal job Rob is resigning his position as 1st Vice-President of the PJSTA.  We wish him all the best and thank him for the tremendous amount of service that he has provided our membership!

The PJTA Accepts Our Challenge

Yesterday Beth Dimino and I took the Ice Bucket Challenge and pledged a donation to Ride for Life who works to find a cure for ALS.  We challenged  the PJSTA membership, Dr. Rella, the Comsewogue BOE, the MORE Caucus, and the Port Jefferson Teachers Association.  Shortly after issuing the challenge several PJSTA members accepted the challenge and the MORE Caucus is rumored to be planning their challenge.

 

Today the Port Jefferson Teachers Association accepted as well.  Additionally the PJTA announced that they will also be donating to Ride for Life as well and forwarded their challenge to Smithtown Teachers Association President Laura Spencer, the Port Jeff BOE, Port Jeff Superintendent Ken Bossert, and principal Tom Meehan.  If you are interested in donating moeny to Ride for Life you can click here.

Below is the PJTA Ice Bucket Challenge…