PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS and REAFFIRMATIONS

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONSand REAFFIRMATIONS

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ENTATIVE ASSEMBLY 20

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Table of Contents

2021 Proposed Resolutions

CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS

1. Creating a More Inclusive Union ...........................................................................3 Submitted by: United Federation of Teachers Bethlehem Central Teachers Association, Greenburgh-North Castle United Teachers, Ithaca Teachers Association, Monroe Community College Faculty Association, United Federation of Teachers

2. NYSUT Calls for Defunding the NYPD and Redirecting Resources to Education, Public Health and Other Community Needs ........................................................4

Submitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

3. Support of Public Power .........................................................................................5Submitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

4. Establishment of March 8, International Women’s Day as a New York State Holiday ............................................................................................................6

Submitted by: Wallkill Teachers Association Wallkill Teachers Association

COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY

5. A New Approach to Public Higher Education Funding ........................................7Submitted by: United College Employees— Fashion Institute of Technology Professional Staff Congress, United College Employees — Fashion Institute of Technology, United University Professions

6. Big Tech Threat to Academic Freedom .................................................................8Submitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

EDUCATIONAL ISSUES

7. Racial Equity in Public Education ..........................................................................9Submitted by: North Shore Schools Federated Employees Amityville Teachers Association, Baldwin Teachers Association, Bellport Teachers Association, Deer Park Teachers Association, East Williston Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Island Park Faculty Association, Jericho Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 21, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Teachers Association of Sag Harbor, Westbury Teachers Association

LEGISLATION/POLITICAL ACTION I

8. Tax Cap Exemptions ..............................................................................................10Submitted by: Rockville Centre Teachers Association Amityville Teachers Association, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Rockville Centre Teachers Association

9. Increased Support for Districts that Have Charter Schools ..............................11Submitted by: Roslyn Teachers Association Amityville Teachers Association, Bayport-Blue Point Teachers Association, Deer Park Teachers Association, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Lynbrook Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Patchogue-Medford Congress of Teachers, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 21, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Rocky Point Teachers Association, Roslyn Teachers Association, Sachem Central Teachers Association, Sayville Teachers Association, Teachers Association of Sag Harbor, Three Village Teachers Association, Westbury Teachers Association, William Floyd United Teachers

LEGISLATION/POLITICAL ACTION I

10. Health Insurance — Small Group Employer .......................................................12Submitted by: Cherry Valley-Springfield Teachers Association Cherry Valley-Springfield Teachers Association

11. Support Ward System Bill .....................................................................................13Submitted by: Suffern Education Association Clarkstown Teachers Association, Nanuet Teachers Association, North Rockland Teachers Association, Suffern Education Association

ORGANIZATION

12. Create NYSUT Task Force to Discuss Retiree Voting Disparity ........................13Submitted by: Retiree Council 18 Amityville Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Levittown United Teachers, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 19, Retiree Council 20, Retiree Council 21, Retiree Council 22, Retiree Council 23, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Sayville Teachers Association, West Hempstead Educational Association, Westbury Teachers Association

13. Maximize Retiree Expertise and Resources .......................................................14Submitted by: Retiree Council 17 Amityville Teachers Association, Bayport-Blue Point Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Levittown United Teachers, Lynbrook Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 19, Retiree Council 20, Retiree Council 21, Retiree Council 22, Retiree Council 23, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, West Hempstead Educational Association, Westbury Teachers Association

2021 Proposed ReaffirmationsReaffirmation #1: Full Divestment of New York State Public Pensions from Fossil Fuels .............................................................................................................15

Professional Staff Congress, United University Professions

Reaffirmation #2: Red Flag Law .....................................................................................16Amityville Teachers Association, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Rockville Centre Teachers Association

Reaffirmation #3: Repeal New York State Tax Collection Law ...................................17Nanuet Teachers Association, Suffern Education Association

Reaffirmation #4: NYSTRS Divestment .........................................................................18Albany Public School Teachers Association, Clinton Teachers Association, Harrison Association of Teachers, Ithaca Teachers Association, McGraw Faculty Association, Nyack Teachers Association, Retiree Council 8, Retiree Council 10, South Seneca Teachers Association, Troy Teachers Association

Reaffirmation #5: Repeal New York State Busing Law ................................................19Nanuet Teachers Association, North Rockland Teachers Association

2021 Proposed Resolutions

Civil and Human Rights

Resolution #1

Creating a More Inclusive Union Submitted by: United Federation of Teachers Bethlehem Central Teachers Association, Greenburgh-North Castle United Teachers, Ithaca Teachers Association, Monroe Community College Faculty Association, United Federation of Teachers

Whereas, NYSUT’s Constitution and values implore us to fight back against discrimination, hatred and bigotry; and

Whereas, while we have made great strides in welcoming and celebrating our LGBTQ+ community, much work remains to be done to fully overcome ongoing legal and cultural bigotry and discrimination against transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals; and

Whereas, gender pronouns are a direct extension of one’s identity, namely our gender. Referring to individuals using their correct pronouns is one of many ways we communicate respect to everyone across the gender spectrum. Stating our pronouns verbally or in writing communicates our awareness of these topics and our dedication to respecting everyone’s identities; and therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT reaffirms its commitment to the full equality, inclusion and acceptance of people of all gender identities and gender expressions; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT affirms the right of transgender, gender non-conforming and non-binary individuals to be referred to by their name, gender, and pronoun in our union and in our workplaces including schools, colleges, and hospitals; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will continue to work with our local affiliates to create inclusive and welcoming communities for people of all gender identities and expressions within our unions and to spread awareness and increase knowledge of issues related to gender identity and expression. These activities may include cultural competency and implicit bias trainings and education programs on gender identity and expression; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT facilities and events will ensure, to the extent feasible, the availability of gender-neutral restrooms and other physical site needs that ensure dignity and safety for transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary individuals; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will review our use of language in our forms and policies in an effort to ensure people of all gender identities and gender expressions are welcomed, included, accepted and respected. This includes, when feasible, the use of gender-neutral language, and offering more than two gender options on forms; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will, to the extent feasible, encourage the use of gender pronouns at our events, meetings and within our organization including the updating of any of our information systems currently built on binary gender identity platforms.

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NYSUT Representative Assembly 2021

q ADOPTEDq ADOPTED AS AMENDEDq DEFEATEDq REFERRED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORSq TABLED

Resolution #2

NYSUT Calls for Defunding the NYPD and Redirecting Resources to Education, Public Health and Other Community NeedsSubmitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

Whereas, the brutal murder of George Floyd is an egregious instance of racist policing that has claimed numerous Black and brown lives; and

Whereas, we have witnessed racist police violence in other cities across New York State, including the pepper-spraying of a nine-year-old girl in Rochester on January 29 and the killing of Daniel Prude on March 23, as he was pressed face-down onto the street; and

Whereas, the movement to defund the New York City police department and redirect resources to education, public health and other community needs, if successful, could be important to communities throughout the state; and

Whereas, studies have shown that police reforms and training programs aimed at reducing abuses have not altered the consequences of systemic racism in policing; the Minneapolis police department, whose officer murdered George Floyd, had recently undertaken a major reform effort, training police on implicit bias, mindfulness, de-escalation, and crisis intervention; creating tighter use-of-force standards; adopting body cameras; and enhancing early-warning systems to identify problem officers; and

Whereas, governments typically spend far more on policing than on public health, homeless services, youth services and other vital agencies; and

Whereas, in 2019, New York City allocated nearly $6 billion to the NYPD, compared to $1.9 billion for the health department; $2.1 billion for homeless services; $1.4 billion on housing, preservation, and development; $907.3 million on youth and community development; and $73.8 million on workforce development, thus budgeting more on policing than on health, homeless services, youth development and workforce devel-opment combined; and

Whereas, 106 organizations, including unions such as locals of UAW and 1199SEIU, National Domestic Workers Alliance, and New York Taxi Workers Alliance, have publicly urged Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council to defund the NYPD; and

Whereas, New York legislators including Julia Salazar, Corey Johnson, Danny Dromm, Scott Stringer, Jumaane Williams, Carlina Rivera, Antonio Reynoso, Ben Kallos, Carlos Menchaca, Brad Lander, and Mark Levine have called for cuts to the NYPD budget; and

Whereas, in response to the mass protests in New York City and across the country following the police killing of George Floyd, Mayor de Blasio announced a shift in funding from the NYPD to youth and social services, a series of police reforms, including moving the enforcement for street vending out of the NYPD to a civilian agency, and adding community ambassadors to the NYPD to serve as liaisons between officers and New Yorkers; and

Whereas, while we welcome Mayor de Blasio’s announcement, the reduction in the NYPD budget for Fiscal Year 2021 was based primarily on an anticipated reduction in overtime costs and on reduction in hiring; it must be followed by action and trans-parency; and

Whereas, with the devastation New York City has suffered from COVID-19, there is an urgent need to reduce NYPD funding and reallocate the resources in the areas of public health, housing, education, and community needs; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT joins the PSC in calling on Mayor de Blasio and the New York City Council to defund the NYPD by reducing the NYPD budget by at least $1 billion and reallocating the funds to resources that have been proven to support poor communities of color like public health, housing, education and youth employment programs; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT demands transparency on how much funding New York


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City will cut from the NYPD’s $6 billion annual budget; and be it furtherRESOLVED, that NYSUT calls on Mayor de Blasio and the New York City

Council to make the redirection of NYPD funds a first step in reimagining public safety in New York City and re-creating systems of public safety that would keep all New Yorkers safe; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT calls on CUNY to refrain from requesting or approving NYPD presence on CUNY campuses in non-emergency situations and, additionally, revise its 1992 Memorandum of Understanding with the NYPD to eliminate all provisions permitting the NYPD on campus in non-emergency situations; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT calls on the New York State AFL-CIO to urge the national AFL-CIO to end its affiliation with the International Union of Police Associations.

Resolution #3

Support of Public PowerSubmitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

Whereas, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the overwhelming majority of climate scientists have stated that current concen-trations and ongoing emissions of greenhouse gases will transcend generations by causing increases in global temperatures, warming of the world’s oceans and rising average sea level for many centuries, and irreversible changes in major ecosystems; and

Whereas, the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas for the purposes of electricity generation and transportation is the primary source of climate changing greenhouse gas emissions; and

Whereas, working families, frontline communities, communities of color and low-income communities and other vulnerable populations, including and especially our students and their families, suffer disproportionately from environ-mental degradation and climate change events such as extreme hurricanes, wildfire, drought and flooding, extreme heat and the spread of infectious disease; and

Whereas, widespread social analyses (e.g. Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate) clearly articulate the dangers to all of failing to rapidly curb the use of fossil fuels as well as the increased risks to those living close to rising sea levels; and

Whereas, the AFT and the PSC have supported the Green New Deal and rapid decarbonization, and both the Green New Deal and THRIVE platforms call for rapid decarbonization; and

Whereas, Trade Unions for Energy Democracy has shown that markets have proven unable to create a sufficiently rapid transition toward a low carbon economy, thereby necessitating a strong role for the public sector and democratic control in driving the measures needed to undertake this transition; and

Whereas, in New York State, Con Edison and other investor-owned utilities deliver profits to shareholders, thus requiring rates above cost, while delaying the transition to clean energy and accepting the necessity of inequitable brownouts to vulnerable populations in response to its inability to manage demand or its own infrastructure; and

Whereas, the New York Power Authority (NYPA) is the largest publicly owned utility in the country, with a track record of providing the most affordable energy in the state, it makes sense for NYPA to be at the forefront of our renewable energy transformation, though under current law, NYPA cannot own or build new utility-scale renewable generation projects; and

Whereas, the Public Power NY Coalition has proposed that NYPA and new public utilities can and should generate, transmit and distribute to New York the 100% renewable, democratically controlled, publicly owned energy system it needs; therefore be it


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RESOLVED, that NYSUT shall support efforts for public ownership of utilities in New York State and New York City, bringing New York the 100% renewable, democratically controlled, publicly owned energy system it needs; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT shall also support efforts to ensure that workers in the private energy sector in New York be supported in any transition to increased use of public power and be prioritized for unionized employment in NYPA; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT shall join the Public Power NY Coalition to bring the New York State energy system into public ownership and democratic control; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT shall network with other NYSUT chapters to build support for public power and *shall encourage NYSUT to formally support this campaign; and be it further

RESOLVED, that when appropriate, NYSUT shall include support for public power in its electoral questionnaires and advocate supportive positions in upcoming candidate endorsements; and be it further

RESOLVED, NYSUT shall inform its locals how public power will facilitate achieving renewable energy goals for New York State.

Resolution #4

Establishment of March 8, International Women’s Day as a New York State HolidaySubmitted by: Wallkill Teachers Association Wallkill Teachers Association

Whereas, International Women’s Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity; and

Whereas, International Women’s Day, March 8, has been celebrated annually since 1911; and

Whereas, many countries recognize March 8 as International Women’s Day, a day on which to honor the achievements of women and promote women’s rights; and

Whereas, International Women’s Day has been sponsored by the United Nations since 1975; and

Whereas, 27 countries have officially adopted International Women’s Day as a national holiday, and it is widely observed in several others; and

Whereas, New York State is the home of Seneca Falls, and the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention was the first women’s rights convention in the United States; and

Whereas, Seneca Falls is considered the birthplace of the women’s suffrage movement, which more than seven decades later ensured American women the right to vote; and

Whereas, New York State is a leader in the pursuit of legislation to achieve wage equality between women and men; and

Whereas, women comprise 51.5% of New York State’s population; and 75% of NYSUT’s membership; therefore be it

RESOLVED, it is recommended that NYSUT work with a coalition of labor consisting of but not limited to New York AFL-CIO, CSEA, SEIU, NYSNA, to lobby the New York Assembly, Senate and Governor to put forth that New York State commemorate its historic and current leadership in the advancement of women’s rights by recognizing March 8, International Women’s Day, as an official New York State holiday.


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College and University

Resolution #5

A New Approach to Public Higher Education FundingSubmitted by: United College Employees — Fashion Institute of Technology Professional Staff Congress, United College Employees — Fashion Institute of Technology, United University Professions

Whereas, the current economic and public health crisis demands a new approach to public higher education in New York State; and

Whereas, as New Yorkers seek to emerge from the pandemic, thousands of people across the state will turn to public colleges to earn degrees and help them to rebuild their lives; families will rely on the vital care provided by the SUNY hospitals; communities, individuals and industries will turn increasingly to CUNY and SUNY as resources not just for workforce development, but for research, schol-arship, cultural work and imaginative policy solutions; and New Yorkers who seek to remedy the gaping injustices of race and class exposed by the pandemic will demand that public higher education step up to close those gaps; and

Whereas, New York’s public university systems have been hollowed out by decades of systematic underfunding, leaving both SUNY and CUNY colleges at all levels understaffed, under-resourced and increasingly reliant on annual tuition hikes, stripped of the resources the current crisis demands; and

Whereas, a return to pre-COVID “normal” will leave the state’s public university systems unable to contribute as they should to an inclusive and just recovery; and continuing economic austerity for CUNY and SUNY will mean a future without the research capacity New York urgently needs and with deepening racial, ethnic and class inequities; and

Whereas, the state’s reliance on tuition and fees to fund SUNY has led to abrogating its role in addressing the multiple crises facing our state, including the urgent need for quality healthcare for all, leadership on the climate crisis, and confronting the deep racial and economic divisions in the state; and

Whereas, State funding for CUNY has dropped steeply in the past, as a result of deliberate, racialized underinvestment, making this a moment that demands not just reversal of cuts but a transformative plan to revitalize and reinvest, the New Deal for CUNY; and

Whereas, SUNY and CUNY community colleges often serve those who can least afford a higher education, yet the state annually exempts itself from State Education Law Article 126, Section 6304, which requires state government to provide 40 percent of community college funding; and

Whereas, the current economic crisis demands not just that New York fulfill the statutory requirement on community college funding, but that the state make bold and future-thinking investments in public community colleges, often the first rung on the educational ladder for the least advantaged students; and

Whereas, NYSUT has advocated seriously for the funding needs of higher education and made progress in recent years in gaining support among legislators for the need for investment; and

Whereas, despite the urgent need for increased investment in higher education, the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2022 calls for multi-million-dollar cuts to both CUNY and SUNY; and

Whereas, increased investment in public higher education would benefit all NYSUT members, because SUNY and CUNY play a vital role in education at all levels, educating the majority of New York’s public school teachers and graduates; therefore be it

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RESOLVED, that NYSUT will prioritize investment in public higher education in its legislative agenda; will call on legislators to refuse to pass a budget that does not include substantial new revenue and major new investment in public higher education; and will make legislators’ voting record on increased revenue and public higher education funding as significant a criterion as votes on vouchers and charter schools.

Resolution #6

Big Tech Threat to Academic Freedom Submitted by: Professional Staff Congress Professional Staff Congress

Whereas, the responsibility of universities to safeguard academic freedom is foundational to higher education in the United States, widely recognized in governance plans, and established by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) in its 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure; and

Whereas, the privatization of higher education has intensified dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with respect to outsourcing of educa-tional platforms to “Big Tech” companies; and

Whereas, private corporations are accountable to shareholders, not to an academic community whose norms and values enshrine the freedom to pursue research, teaching and extramural speech on controversial matters; and

Whereas, several instances of the cancellation by Zoom and other “Big Tech” platforms of university-sponsored webinars and online virtual class sessions including controversial speakers have been reported by The New York Times and other media outlets; and

Whereas, “Big Tech” companies may be more susceptible to coordinated political pressure campaigns than are university administrators, who should understand the value of academic freedom as the lifeblood of university research and teaching; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT unequivocally affirms its support for academic freedom in the context of online education and accelerated privatization of platforms for teaching and learning; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT joins the call by PSC-CUNY and the AAUP for college and university administrators to take affirmative steps to safeguard academic freedom in its online learning platforms. These steps should include but not be limited to: public acknowledgment of the threat to academic freedom posed by the institution’s reliance on private, third-party vendors; and review and renegotiation of contracts with Big Tech companies, in order “to better protect the rights of faculty and students to engage with controversial ideas,” as the president of AAUP and the chair of its Committee on Academic Freedom wrote to the president of NYU after the cancellation of a Zoom event hosted by the NYU chapter of the AAUP.


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Educational Issues

Resolution #7

Racial Equity in Public EducationSubmitted by: North Shore Schools Federated Employees Amityville Teachers Association, Baldwin Teachers Association, Bellport Teachers Association, Deer Park Teachers Association, East Williston Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Island Park Faculty Association, Jericho Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 21, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Teachers Association of Sag Harbor, Westbury Teachers Association

Whereas, the deep racial divides recently illuminated by both the COVID-19 pandemic and paroxysms of violence across the United States are illustrative of vast, systemic racial inequities in every measure of American society from health to wealth, from politics to prison; and

Whereas, as educators we must specifically acknowledge that our schools both reflect and perpetuate patterns of systemic racism given the deep racial chasms in:

• funding, including state aid formulas, Title I funding and misappropriation of resources for charter schools;

• curriculum, pedagogy, class sizes, course offerings and achievement gaps;• physical and digital infrastructure;• Suspensions and discipline leading that have fostered the school-to-prison

pipeline;• de facto segregation; andWhereas, as trade unionists and labor leaders we are specifically compelled to

assert unequivocal public positions and pursue direct corrective action in the face of inequity; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will research, develop and distribute an Equity Toolkit so local unions can vigorously advocate for antiracist curricula in their districts and school systems that address and seek to redress patterns of systemic racism and inequity. These curricula should be sustained, compulsory and comple-mented with co-curricular commitments that celebrate the fullest possible spectrum of student identities; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will advocate with the New York State Council of School Superintendents and encourage local leaders to advocate with local school administrations in support of teachers who embed issues of antiracism and equity in their curriculum and pedagogy; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will continue to promote programs to train teachers, administrators, students, and community members to recognize and counteract implicit bias; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will advocate with the New York State School Board Association and encourage local leaders to advocate with local Boards of Education to engage in deep, meaningful curriculum and hiring reforms; partner with diverse universities and colleges to engage student teachers; hold job fairs to recruit diverse applicants; and develop actionable, specific plans to cultivate diversity in hiring practices; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will advocate with the Commissioner of Education and the Board of Regents to support all educators in their efforts to confront inequity; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will continue to advocate for programs designed to attract, support and retain people of color in the field of public education; and be it further


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RESOLVED, that NYSUT will continue to advocate for undergraduate and graduate schools of education to teach curriculum design and instructional practices that are culturally responsive; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will advocate with New York State Congress of Parents and Teachers and encourage local leaders to advocate with local PTA/PTO, other parent organizations and community organizations to galvanize community support for antiracist efforts in public schools; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will maintain and strengthen its commitment to organizational policies and programs that model antiracism; diversify union leadership, training and involvement of people of color at all levels of governance; build pathways for internal dialog among urban, suburban and rural NYSUT locals; and will call on other state and national affiliates, including NEA, AFT, NYS AFL-CIO, and the AFL- CIO to do the same.

Legislative/Political Action I

Resolution #8

Tax Cap ExemptionsSubmitted by: Rockville Centre Teachers Association Amityville Teachers Association, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Rockville Centre Teachers Association

Whereas, Chapter 97 of the New York State Laws of 2011 established a tax levy limit (generally referred to as the tax cap) that affects all local governments (including counties, cities, towns, villages and fire districts) and school districts in New York State except the “Big Five” dependent city school districts (New York City, Yonkers, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse); and

Whereas, New York state lawmakers enacted legislation making the tax cap permanent in 2019; and

Whereas, the tax cap has imposed crippling financial burdens on affected public schools as districts can no longer seek the revenues appropriate to their educational needs unless they attempt — at enormous risk — to secure undemocratic 60% supermajorities from voters; and

Whereas, the burdens imposed by the tax cap have additionally redounded to working people as local unions have been forced to accept collective bargaining agreements with paltry compensation that ranges from wage stagnation, at best, to widespread wage contraction; and

Whereas, the only viable mechanism permitted under law to alleviate the unsus-tainable pressures exerted by the tax cap is the inclusion of specific exemptions to the calculus of a district’s annual tax levy; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will immediately and vigorously advocate for additional exemptions under the tax cap law; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will press to exempt from the tax cap levy limit all personnel costs incurred as a result of unfunded mandates from NYSED, including but not limited to personnel and materials for such programs as mandated Bilingual Education programs under CR Part 154 and expansions of special education programming required under the aegis of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA); and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will press to exempt from the tax cap levy limit all infrastructural and personnel costs incurred as a result of school safety improvements undertaken in light of the documented increase in the threat of school violence.


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Resolution #9

Increased Support for Districts that Have Charter Schools Submitted by: Roslyn Teachers Association Amityville Teachers Association, Bayport-Blue Point Teachers Association, Deer Park Teachers Association, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Lynbrook Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Patchogue-Medford Congress of Teachers, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 21, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Rocky Point Teachers Association, Roslyn Teachers Association, Sachem Central Teachers Association, Sayville Teachers Association, Teachers Association of Sag Harbor, Three Village Teachers Association, Westbury Teachers Association, William Floyd United Teachers

Whereas, school districts with high poverty rates have been unfairly called “Failing School Districts,” or similar, but should be referred to as, “High Needs Districts”; and

Whereas, the incorrect name, “Failing School Districts” incorrectly assesses blame on the school district for lower than average test scores; and

Whereas, Charter Schools are expanding at an alarming rate in predominantly High Needs, Low Income, Minority school districts draining critical funds and resources from public school districts; and

Whereas, school districts that have children who attend Charter Schools lose funds to the Charter School for students that opted to go to the Charter School; and

Whereas, school districts that have children who attend Charter Schools, lose funds to the Charter School for transportation; and

Whereas, school districts that have children who attend Charter Schools, lose services of Pupil Personnel Service Employees to the Charter School; and

Whereas, the Charter School “Choice” movement has become a permanent fixture in the State of New York, siphoning vital funding from High Needs School Districts that have children who attend Charter Schools causing substantial budget deficits annually; and

Whereas, if a school district that has children who attend Charter Schools, is on a Contingency Budget, the funds lost to the fully funded Charter School results in lost funds that are a higher percentage than they would be if the district was not on a Contingency Budget; and

Whereas, the Covid-19 pandemic has increased the education gap between students of wealth and students of poverty; and therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will work legislatively to ensure that traditional public schools are not financially harmed by the presence of Charter Schools within their district.

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Legislative/Political Action II

Resolution #10

Health Insurance — Small Group EmployerSubmitted by: Cherry Valley-Springfield Teachers Association Cherry Valley-Springfield Teachers Association

Whereas, health insurance is the second largest cost to most school districts in New York state; and

Whereas, health insurance premium costs are usually shared by both the Members and the District, such that an increase in costs to the District means an increase in the cost to the Members; and

Whereas, the level of coverage of these health insurance plans are collectively bargained for with a stipulation of this level of coverage to be continued even if the current plan is no longer available; and

Whereas, many small and rural school districts and BOCES throughout the state formed consortiums many years ago to get preferred rates from insurance under-writers; and

Whereas, these consortiums have been able to provide excellent insurance options that are not available in the state’s general insurance pool; and

Whereas, upon passage of the ACA, each state was required to redefine a “small group employer” to 1–100 from the current definition of 1–50; and

Whereas, in 2015, New York State changed its definition of a “small group employer” to mean 1–100 employees and according to the law, among other restrictions, any employer falling below the 100-employee threshold would no longer have the ability to participate in an experienced rated health insurance plan (e.g. Health Insurance Consortium or Trust), and instead must participate in a community rated plan (e.g. “General Pool”); and

Whereas, there are approximately 100 districts within New York State that would be forced to exit their consortiums which would in many cases cause the collapse of the entire consortium forcing even districts with more than 100 employees to enter the general pool; and

Whereas, forcing districts, and therefore employees, to pay considerably higher rates for similar coverage plans or be forced to offer lower quality plans due to unavailability of similar plans; and

Whereas, NYSUT has supported legislative efforts in the past to change the law and allow School Districts and BOCES with 1–100 employees to remain in their consortiums, (most recently with the Chapter 202 of the Laws of 2019); therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT continue its legislative effort to permanently change the law to allow School Districts and BOCES with 1–100 employees to remain in health insurance consortiums if they so choose.


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Resolution #11

Support Ward System BillSubmitted by: Suffern Education Association Clarkstown Teachers Association, Nanuet Teachers Association, North Rockland Teachers Association, Suffern Education Association

Whereas, New York State law under bills S.2053 (Reichlin-Melnick) and A.249 (Zebrowski) of 2021 would allow school districts in Rockland County to create voting wards for Board of Education elections; and

Whereas, the ward system is voluntary for public school communities interested in creating such a system; and

Whereas, this system would allow all members of a community in certain school districts to be represented, not just special interest groups; and

Whereas, this system in certain school districts would serve the purpose of better protecting the local public school system from external forces that have no vested interest in the success of the public school system; and

Whereas, two similar bills were passed almost unanimously in both the state Senate and the State Assembly, only to be vetoed by Governor Cuomo; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT affirms its commitment to use its legislative power to effectuate the immediate approval of S.2053 (Reichlin-Melnick) and A.249 (Zebrowski) of 2021; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will support any bill that would allow the creation of a voluntary ward system for school board elections; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will support a legislative override of the Governor’s veto of any bill that supports the creation of a voluntary ward system for school board elections.

Organization

Resolution #12

Create NYSUT Task Force to Discuss Retiree Voting Disparity Submitted by: Retiree Council 18 Amityville Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Levittown United Teachers, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 19, Retiree Council 20, Retiree Council 21, Retiree Council 22, Retiree Council 23, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, Sayville Teachers Association, West Hempstead Educational Association, Westbury Teachers Association

Whereas, retirees seek to increase the voting strength of their retiree delegates to the RA; and

Whereas, retirees seek to be entitled to a number of votes which more closely reflects their constituency numbers; and

Whereas, there are close to 240,000 retiree members of NYSUT and they comprise one third of the membership; and

Whereas, retirees are collectively entitled to a maximum of only 135 votes in any NYSUT election since each retiree council carries just three votes; and

Whereas, other NYSUT members are entitled to one member-one vote; andWhereas, this disparity is not in keeping with adequate voice to all members,

therefore be it

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RESOLVED, that NYSUT discuss and work with the departments which could be most affected, for preliminary advice, including but not limited to the legal department, the elections committee, the officers, etc. and be it further

RESOLVED, that after those discussions, the NYSUT Board of Directors consider creating a task force to review and advise the NYSUT Board regarding increasing the voting power of retiree members.

Resolution #13

Maximize Retiree Expertise and Resources Submitted by: Retiree Council 17 Amityville Teachers Association, Bayport-Blue Point Teachers Association, Farmingdale Federation of Teachers, Garden City Teachers Association, Great Neck Teachers Association, Hewlett Woodmere Faculty Association, Levittown United Teachers, Lynbrook Teachers Association, Mineola Teachers Association, Nassau BOCES Central Council of Teachers, North Shore Schools Federated Employees, Plainedge Federation of Teachers, Retiree Council 17, Retiree Council 18, Retiree Council 19, Retiree Council 20, Retiree Council 21, Retiree Council 22, Retiree Council 23, Rockville Centre Teachers Association, West Hempstead Educational Association, Westbury Teachers Association

Whereas, in 1991 NYSUT amended its constitution to provide for continuing Union membership for members into retirement; and

Whereas, that change also provided for the creation of Retiree Councils that shadow the NYSUT in-service Election Districts, and subsequent changes in the NYSUT Constitution in 2003 provided for retiree representation on the NYSUT Board of Directors; and

Whereas, policy established by the delegates at previous Representative Assemblies encourages in-service locals to maintain retirees on their membership rolls and also encourages retiree representation on the governance board of the local; and

Whereas, the current NYSUT structure for retiree membership provides four possible paths for maintaining retiree members: (1) local membership with rights outlined in local constitution, (2) retiree chapter associated with the local, (3) maintain retirees on the membership rolls of the local but provide no constitutional rights of membership, (4) retirees are removed from active status of the local and are then at-large-members of the appropriate Retiree Council; and

Whereas, retirees currently constitute 1/3 of the NYSUT members or about 240,000 members; and

Whereas, retirees are a valuable resource given their experience and are available at times in-service members are not; and

Whereas, almost 30 years of retiree involvement in NYSUT has shown that where locals have maintained close association with and involvement of its retirees, the mutual efforts have produced positive results; and

Whereas, experience has also shown that Retiree Councils, in those areas where retirees are organized into chapters, are strong and extremely active as retiree members and are active participants in the proponents of union activism; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT reaffirm current policy that encourages locals to maintain retirees within the local structure, and recognize that the options of (1) local membership with member rights as delineated in the in-service consti-tution, and (2) retiree chapters are the preferred methods of maintaining active retiree members; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT provides appropriate support for those locals who provide or who want to explore providing constitutional language for creating one of the structures above.


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2021 Proposed ReaffirmationsReaffirmation #1

Full Divestment of New York State Public Pensions from Fossil Fuels Professional Staff Congress, United University Professions

Whereas, scientists agree that the burning of fossil fuels has raised the earth’s temperature and, if left unchecked, would flood coastal areas, displacing and destroying lives all across the globe; and

Whereas, the latest UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that the earth has only 11 years to quickly shift from a fossil fuel-based energy economy if it is to avoid disastrous tipping points; and

Whereas, Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have both pledged to divest the state’s and the city’s pensions from investments in fossil fuels; and

Whereas, none of signatories of the Paris Agreement are now poised to meet even the lower target of 2 degrees C. based on their current consumption rates and their so far, very limited transition to renewable alternatives; and

Whereas, The Institute for Energy Economics reported that fossil fuel stocks have underperformed over the last five years as compared to the General Stock Index; and

Whereas, the health and safety of us all require that 80% of the industry’s 2,795 gigatons of coal, oil and gas reserves, five times the amount that would be safe to use, remain in the ground; and

Whereas, the value of fossil fuel stocks is based on burning all existing reserves; and

Whereas, as the economy shifts toward renewable energy, the fossil fuel industry is likely to be holding billions in “stranded assets” which means losses for those still invested in the industry; and

Whereas, the fossil fuel industry is facing dozens of lawsuits due to the damages from the pollution of air and water associated with extraction and transportation; and

Whereas, these lawsuits increase the risk of keeping our retirement funds in fossil fuels; and

Whereas, the fossil fuel industry spends millions of dollars to lobby, fight and deny the well documented environmental health and safety consequences of extracting and burning fossil fuels at the current rate; and

Whereas, 1,000 institutions, including 100 colleges and universities, have already removed over $14 trillion dollars from fossil fuel industries across the globe; and

Whereas, the Corporate Knights Report on New York State Pension Funds shows that fossil fuels have been, and will likely continue to be a poor investment for New York State Teachers Retirement System, the NYC Teachers Retirement System and other public employees pensions; and

Whereas, accelerating the transition to renewable energy in NYS. can produce thousands of decent paying jobs for New Yorkers throughout the state; and

Whereas, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has passed a sweeping resolution supporting a Green New Deal at the 2020 Convention and has passed a resolution supporting divestment of pension funds from fossil fuel holdings in 2016; and

Whereas, most NYSUT members’ retirement savings are in either the NYS Teachers Retirement System (TRS), NYC TRS, or with the NYS Common Retirement Fund; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT urge NYSTRS and NYCTRS to protect public pensions and divest from all fossil fuel holdings in keeping with their fiduciary responsi-bility; and be it further

Reaffirmation of Existing Policy

In accordance with the Rules of Procedure for

the NYSUT RA, resolutions adopted by previous NYSUT

Representative Assemblies that are reaffirmed prior to their

expiration do not have their life span extended. Any resolution

which reaffirms existing NYSUT policy within the four-year active

period will be published and provided to all delegates. These resolutions will be deemed reaf-firmed by virtue of their publica-

tion and no committee deliberation

or floor discussion will take place.


RESOLVED, that NYSUT urge Comptroller DiNapoli to divest the NYS Common Retirement Fund he oversees from fossil fuels and consider investing in renewable energy, including community owned renewable power.

Reaffirmation #2

Red Flag LawAmityville Teachers Association, Plainview-Old Bethpage Congress of Teachers, Rockville Centre Teachers Association

Whereas, Everytown for Gun Safety identified 405 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in the period 2013-2018, with 260 incidents on the grounds of an elementary, middle, or high school; 145 incidents on the grounds of a college or university; 109 deaths and 219 injuries; and

Whereas, Everytown for Gun Safety identified at least 72 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2019, resulting in 11 deaths, including 3 suicide deaths, and 44 injuries; and

Whereas, on February 25, 2019 Governor Cuomo signed into law the extreme risk protection bill, commonly referred to as New Yorks “Red Flag Law”; and

Whereas, New York’s Red Flag law went into effect on August 24, 2019; andWhereas, the Red Flag law was endorsed by NYSUT, AFT and NEA in partnership

with Everytown for Gun Safety; andWhereas, the Red Flag law is a welcome and potentially pivotal victory for

common sense gun safety reform; andWhereas, the Red Flag law does not prescribe a clear protocol for school or other

personnel seeking to implement the provisions of the law; andWhereas, any protocol for implementation of the Red Flag law must be

undertaken with an acknowledgment that school discipline enforcement has frequently resulted in discriminatory practices, especially with regard to students’ race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and/or mental health; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT strongly consider convening a task force with appro-priate authorities to provide guidance on a clear, actionable and socially just Red Flag implementation protocol for NYSUT members with particular attention to statutory provisions, ERPO procedures, reporting requirements, professional development and equity; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT leadership will expeditiously work with local leaders via the regional offices to ensure proper understanding and implementation of the Red Flag law.

Reaffirmation #3

Repeal New York State Tax Collection Law Nanuet Teachers Association, Suffern Education Association

Whereas, New York State law allows towns to charge schools a 1% fee for collecting school taxes; and

Whereas, this fee can cost school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars; andWhereas, this fee is passed onto taxpayers without the town actually acknowl-

edging this tax; andWhereas, the money charged to the school district and the taxpayer would be

better spent in the classroom; andWhereas, in Suffern Central School District this fee is close to $1 million; andWhereas, most towns do not charge this fee, therefore; removal of this fee would

have little impact on the majority of towns in the state of New York; and


Whereas, Governor Cuomo vetoed a law allowing schools districts to collect their own taxes by saying that having two different entities collecting property taxes would lead to “uncoordinated and potentially duplicative collection and compound government inefficiency;” and

Whereas, the governor has stated on many occasions his desire to reduce property taxes; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT affirms its commitment to use its legislative power to effectuate the immediate repeal of NYS LAW that allows towns to charge school districts for collecting school taxes; and it be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will support any law to effectuate the repeal of NYS LAW that allows towns to charge school district taxpayers for collecting school taxes.

Reaffirmation #4

NYSTRS DivestmentAlbany Public School Teachers Association, Clinton Teachers Association, Harrison Association of Teachers, Ithaca Teachers Association, McGraw Faculty Association, Nyack Teachers Association, Retiree Council 8, Retiree Council 10, South Seneca Teachers Association, Troy Teachers Association

Whereas, scientists agree that the burning of fossil fuels is the main cause of climate change and climate change presents an existential threat unlike any humankind has faced before, as well as enormous financial risks; and

Whereas, a failure to acknowledge these risks will expose pension funds to severe losses and pension fund trustees to liability; and

Whereas, at a U.N. summit on climate, nations around the world agreed to reduce their use of fossil fuels and are shifting to renewable energy; and

Whereas, the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports that the earth has only 10 years to transition to renewable energy to avoid a disastrous tipping point; and

Whereas, the financial future of our pension funds is inextricably linked to the sustainability of the planet; and

Whereas, pensions are meant to provide a secure future for employees and investments in fossil fuel companies are antithetical to that purpose; and

Whereas, the fossil fuel industry poses an existential threat to everyone’s future and continued investment in this industry is immoral and is an unacceptable financial policy risk; and

Whereas, more than 1,200 institutions and government entities, including New York City, with assets totaling more than $14.1 trillion have completed or are imple-menting commitments to divest from fossil fuels; and

Whereas, in September 2020, more than 1,100 academics, including prominent climate scientists, called on New York lawmakers to divest the state’s retirement fund from fossil fuels; and

Whereas, the Center for International Environmental Law seeks to educate pension fund fiduciaries on their duty to divest from fossil fuels in a fiscally responsible fashion; and

Whereas, even prior to the April 2020 collapse in the oil market, the traditional energy sector has been the worst performer in the S&P 500 over the past decade and investment in fossil fuel companies has cost New Yorkers billions of dollars; and

Whereas, the Corporate Knights’ report on the New York State pension fund shows a loss of $19,000 per pension member due to investment in fossil fuels over the past 10 years; and

Whereas, the future of our fiduciary security is not in fossil fuels and NYSUT has an obligation to protect future as well as current retirees; and


Whereas, communities of color, low-income communities and other vulnerable populations suffer disproportionately from extreme weather events, such as super-storms, extreme heat, drought and flooding, due to climate chaos and NYSUT has always been a leader and champion of human rights issues; and

Whereas, members of NYSUT educate their students to do the right thing and it is time to lead by example; and

Whereas, members of NYSUT are concerned about the future lives of their students and those lives are in jeopardy due to climate chaos; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that the NYSUT Representative Assembly strongly recommends that NYSTRS divest from fossil fuels stocks in a fiscally responsible manner.

Reaffirmation #5

Repeal New York State Busing Law Nanuet Teachers Association, North Rockland Teachers Association

Whereas, New York State law used to allow busing to be eliminated or reduced if a public school budget was NOT approved; and

Whereas, in districts where non-public school supporters vote down school budgets on a regular basis; and

Whereas, create a negative impact on public schools; andWhereas, non-public school supporters use public school resources for

non-public school purposes; andWhereas, non-public school transportation expenses are increasing exponen-

tially; andWhereas, historically when a public school budget is NOT approved and the

public school administration was allowed to cut transportation for all schools within the district; non-public school supporters would support the public school budget because they had a vested interest in the public school budget passing; therefore be it

RESOLVED, that NYSUT affirms its commitment to use its legislative power to effectuate the implementation of laws that supports busing to be included in the public school budget; and be it further

RESOLVED, that NYSUT will support legislation that allows school districts to have the option to reduce busing in the event that the public school budget is rejected.

www.nysut.org

Representing more than 600,000 professionals in education, human services and health care.

Andrew PallottaPresident

Jolene T. DiBrangoExecutive Vice President

J. Philippe AbrahamSecretary-Treasurer

Ron GrossSecond Vice President

NYSUT Officers

800 Troy-Schenectady Road, Latham, NY 12110 • 518-213-6000 • 800-342-9810Affiliated with AFT / NEA / AFL-CIO

PROPOSED RESOLUTIONS and REAFFIRMATIONS

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