Latest News

  • Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius
  • Developer plans DeWitt solar farm
  • THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all
  • Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding
  • Westhill tops Marcellus; J-E falls to Skaneateles

Local News for Syracuse and Central New York

  • Home
  • Pubs
    • Baldwinsville Messenger
    • Cazenovia Republican
    • Eagle Bulletin
    • Eagle Observer
    • Eagle Pennysaver
    • Skaneateles Press
    • Star Review
  • News
    • Government
    • Business
      • Keys to Financial Wellness
      • Progress
    • Crime
    • Schools
    • Achievers
    • Obituaries
    • Photo Galleries
  • Sports
    • High School Sports
    • College Sports
    • Community Sports
    • Professional Sports
  • Opinion
    • Your Opinion
    • Our Opinion
    • Point of View
  • Things to Do
    • Events Calendar
    • Arts
    • Food
    • Entertainment
    • Health & Fitness
    • Music
    • Home & Garden
    • Outdoors
  • Magazines
    • Syracuse Parent
      • Parenting News
      • Parenting Columns
      • Parenting Resources
    • Syracuse Woman
    • Prime Living
    • Explore CNY
    • Bridal Exquisite
  • Classifieds
    • Browse
    • Search
    • Place
    • Real Estate CNY
    • Cars 315
    • Advertiser Login
  • Subscribe
    • Baldwinsville Messenger
    • Cazenovia Republican
    • Eagle Bulletin
    • Eagle Observer
    • Eagle Star Review
    • Skaneateles Press
    • Out of Town Subscription
  • follow
    • Facebook

Guest column: Saluting the unsung heroes of public education

Nov 19, 2018 Jennifer Wing Opinion, Point of View


By Andy Pallotta

If classroom teachers are the face of Central New York’s public education system, its bus drivers, cafeteria workers, school secretaries and custodians are its backbone.

They drive our kids safely to school in hazardous weather on busy roads; cook nutritious meals and supervise the lunchrooms; and work incredibly hard keeping our classrooms and hallways spotlessly clean. School secretaries maintain important school records, while teachers’ aides and assistants offer valuable support in overflowing classrooms, while often providing one-on-one instruction to students with special needs.

On Nov. 20, New York State will mark School-Related Professionals Recognition Day – and it has each third Tuesday of November since it was signed into law by Gov. Eliot Spitzer in 2007.  While there will be no parades or fireworks, it’s nevertheless appropriate for New Yorkers to remember these unsung heroes of public education and to appreciate our state’s nearly 100,000 paraprofessionals in a broader economic context.

Paraprofessional jobs first emerged in the 1960s as a product of federal anti-poverty programs.  Research by Columbia University doctoral fellow Nick Juravich finds that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 provided millions of dollars in new funding to public schools to combat poverty, and school systems responded by hiring thousands of people – primarily African-American and Latino mothers of schoolchildren – to work in neighborhood schools.

School leaders correctly theorized that these new workers would improve instruction and discipline by bringing knowledge of their communities into schools; enhance communications by acting as conduits between teachers and the community; and create steady careers, respect and opportunities for women entering the workplace, many for the first time.

NYSUT’s largest local affiliate — the United Federation of Teachers — began organizing school workers in 1969.  In the nearly 50 years since, school-related professionals have transformed our school workplaces and contributed mightily to the success of public education in New York State.

The experiment has turned into a “win-win” for workers, as well.

Today, because of their union membership, school-related professionals throughout Central New York enjoy significant benefits — good health care, a dignified retirement through the state’s pension system and opportunities for further education and career advancement that do not generally exist for similar jobs in the private sector.  Salaries, too, have improved with unionization and are generally higher than in the private sector.  Still, in many cases, school-related professionals earn less than they should considering the invaluable jobs they perform and the challenges they face.

Because they carry union cards, these workers can also organize and fight collectively to make their workplaces better and fairer.  For example, Gov. Andrew Cuomo this fall signed union-backed legislation that will now provide the same benefits for “labor class employees” that are provided for non-competitive class employees under Civil Service Law.

This new law means that many NYSUT members who work in transportation; food service; buildings and grounds; and other titles — and are considered “labor class employees” — will benefit from some form of due process and cannot be dismissed based on someone’s whim.

These and other benefits for our school-related professionals are hard-fought and well-deserved.  New York’s school bus drivers, custodians, cafeteria workers and other school-related professionals do a terrific job.  If you’re around one today, seek them out and say “thank you” for doing their part to make our public schools great.

Andy Pallotta is president of the more than 600,000-member New York State United Teachers.

Related

Comment on this Story


After absentee ballot count, Salka defeats Magee for state assembly Golf tournament helps area food pantries

Jennifer Wing

More in this category
  • THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all
    THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes...

    Feb 21, 2019 0

  • From the Liverpool Public Library: Changes ahead
    From the Liverpool Public Library:...

    Feb 20, 2019 0

  • Baldwinsville History Mystery: Do you know anything about this picture?
    Baldwinsville History Mystery: Do you...

    Feb 19, 2019 0

  • Baldwinsville History Mystery: Do you know anything about this picture?
    Baldwinsville History Mystery: Do you...

    Feb 13, 2019 0


This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Follow Us on Twitter

Tweets von @"@EagleNewsOnline"

  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Tag
  • Posted: State DEC’s hunting regulations put burden of...

    Dec 06, 2011

  • Headlines of ’09: Carpenter’s Brook on the hook

    Jan 07, 2010

  • Post 88 announces Veterans Day events
    Post 88 announces Veterans Day events

    Nov 02, 2016

  • Education commission report sparks debate

    Jan 08, 2013

  • Politics for your playlist

    Feb 04, 2011

  • 18 positions on the line at J-E; superintendent will retire...

    Mar 24, 2010

  • Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius
    Stewart’s Shops zone change request nixed in Manlius

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Developer plans DeWitt solar farm
    Developer plans DeWitt solar farm

    Feb 21, 2019

  • THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all
    THEATER REVIEW: ‘Mamma Mia!’ takes it all

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding
    Minoa mayor opposes cuts to AIM funding

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Westhill tops Marcellus; J-E falls to Skaneateles

    Feb 21, 2019

  • Caz, Chittneango girls hoops ousted in sectional quarterfinals

    Feb 21, 2019

  • A law suit will be a healthy exercise. The planning board members should have nothing to worry abou...

    3 years ago

  • Yet Skp Carritch tolerates the criminal that is the B'ville Blotter. Step up to the plate Skip...

    3 years ago

  • Peter’s been good; there’s been one complaint in two years,” Zupan said. “He’s trying, I will say th...

    3 years ago

  • This is exciting. I'm with Fayetteville fire department. It's about time Manlius upgrades to a more ...

    3 years ago

  • If Mr. Wells is proud of the campaign he waged (almost entirely negative and hugely reliant on Ray H...

    3 years ago

  • There seems to be more here than the article references. It 'sounds like' the town board wants to ge...

    3 years ago

assembly Baldwinsville Baseball Bishop Grimes Bishop Ludden boys basketball boys lacrosse boys soccer C-NS Cazenovia CBA Chittenango cicero column crime cross country election ESM F-M football for a good cause from the mailbag fundraiser girls basketball girls lacrosse girls soccer history indoor track J-D J-E letter letters to the editor letter to the editor liverpool lysander Marcellus north syracuse russ tarby skaneateles Solvay track and field volleyball West Genesee Westhill wrestling

Like Us on Facebook

Like Us on Facebook

Posts by Category

Useful Links

  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Graduate submission form
  • Employment
  • Terms of Use

Tags & Keywords

assembly Baldwinsville Baseball Bishop Grimes Bishop Ludden boys basketball boys lacrosse boys soccer C-NS Cazenovia CBA Chittenango cicero column crime cross country election ESM F-M football for a good cause from the mailbag fundraiser girls basketball girls lacrosse girls soccer history indoor track J-D J-E letter letters to the editor letter to the editor liverpool lysander Marcellus north syracuse russ tarby skaneateles Solvay track and field volleyball West Genesee Westhill wrestling

Posts by Date

November 2018
M T W T F S S
« Oct   Dec »
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
2627282930  
Copyright 2019 Eaglenewsonline / All rights reserved
  • About Us
  • Our Team
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Graduate submission form
  • Employment
  • Terms of Use