1-Oct-Nov 2020 BACK TO SCHOOL pp 1-11 Advisor

2 CEA ADVISOR OCTOBER – NOVEMBER 2020

LEADING

Advocating for safe schools and a strong democracy Leading: Our Perspective

This special issue of the CEA Advisor , the first of the 2020-2021 school year, tackles two important subjects for teachers: school reopening in a time of pandemic and an election whose impact will be felt not only by members of our profession but also by generations of students— those we have graduated, those in our classrooms now, and those we have yet to encounter. This issue is divided in two, with a back-to-school section and a flip side that confronts

sustained focus and collaboration to change. As the saying goes, this is a marathon, not a sprint. Over the summer, CEA’s Equity Task Force began its work to ensure that we are effectively addressing implicit bias and systemic racism within both our organization and the teaching profession. It is clear that racial dynamics, disparities, and divisions permeate our society, our communities, and our schools. Although we are aware that some district administrations may react negatively, we must

Jeff Leake, CEA President

the election challenges and opportunities ahead. We hope you will hold onto it as a reference guide for the work that is being done to strengthen our schools and our democracy and the ways in which teachers are active participants in that work. We welcome you back to a new school year by acknowledging the tremendous effort you and your colleagues have put forth since March—the quick pivot to whole new ways of interacting with our students; the extraordinary work during the ensuing months as we moved to close out the year; the

be prepared to create the space to talk about race in our schools and communities. Members of the task force look forward to working with our members, local leaders, and our communities as we face these issues head-on. (See page 8.) Tragically, on the subject of racism, our current president has accused public schools of “indoctrinating children” and has disparaged the way history is taught as “child abuse.” Educating public school students about systemic racism and acknowledging our nation’s history and the

Tom Nicholas, CEA Vice President

exemplary work of our local leaders in preparation for the 2020-2021 school opening; and the reimagining that you are doing now to create the best learning environment for our students under extreme and ever-changing conditions. We know that success has not readily arrived in all districts, but we celebrate the cooperation that led to successes for many of our local

consequences of slavery are efforts President Donald Trump has labeled “prejudiced,” “toxic propaganda,” and “ideological poison.” He has in fact said, “Teaching this horrible doctrine to our children is a form of child abuse in the truest sense of those words.” We must work hard to elect a president who values public education, who understands that the climate crisis is real, and who gets that we have suffered too long with systemic racism—a leader who will unite instead of

The hard facts laid bare by the pandemic—and in many ways made worse by it—will take intense and sustained focus and collaboration to change.

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA GOVERNANCE Jeff Leake • President Tom Nicholas • Vice President

associations. (See stories on pages 4-5.) We will continue our work with our members, local leaders, and CEA staff and governance to ensure the highest standards of safety and academic excellence, all while attending to the even greater social and emotional needs of Connecticut’s students. (For more on recent SEL initiatives, see pages 6-7.) One significant outcome of all of this energy and effort is that we are increasingly aware of the discrepancies and inequity that continue to exist in our state. We understand even more clearly than we have in the past how crucial it is to intensify our advocacy for a public school system that demands the elimination of the opportunity gap. For too long, that gap has limited the potential of too many Connecticut students. We must also continue our work with others to address the widening economic inequality that affects our state and our nation. Across our country, the richest ten percent of Americans own more than two- thirds of the nation’s wealth. Frank Clemente, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness, has pointed out, “In three months about 600 billionaires increased their wealth by far more than the nation’s governors say their states need in fiscal assistance to keep delivering services to 330 million residents. Their wealth increased twice as much as the federal government paid out in one-time checks to more than 150 million Americans. If this pandemic reveals anything, it’s how unequal our society has become and how drastically it must change.” The hard facts laid bare by the pandemic—and in many ways made worse by it—will take intense and

Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary David Jedidian • Treasurer

further divide this great country. For these reasons and others, NEA RA delegates overwhelmingly voted to endorse the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris team. Additionally, our CEA Board of Directors voted to endorse Biden/Harris as well as all members of Connecticut’s congressional delegation, each of whom has earned an A on NEA’s report card. Every member of Connecticut’s current delegation has continued to meet, talk, and work with us for the betterment of our students, our members, and our communities. They deserve our continuing support in their re-election efforts. (See the flip side of this issue for a side-by-side comparison of the presidential candidates on key education issues as well as information about Connecticut’s congressional delegation, legislative races, and a CEA Report Card and Honor Roll that help teachers see which legislative candidates are public education allies and deserve our support at the polls.) We must continue our fight for the schools our students deserve, for economic, social, and racial justice, and for national political leadership that understands what must be done to unite our nation. To that end, I urge you to keep in mind the words of our immediate NEA Past President Lily Eskelsen García in her book Rabble Rousers – Agitadores : “If we are going to be part of creating the citizens our times demand, the society that all of our citizens deserve, we must work with others, stronger together, to be fearless fighters for social justice.” September 28, 2020

Tara Flaherty • NEA Director Katy Gale • NEA Director

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Day • Managing Editor Sandra Cassineri • Graphic Designer Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer October–November 2020 Volume 63, Number 2 Published by Connecticut Education Association 1-800-842-4316 • 860-525-5641 cea.org CEA Advisor The CEA Advisor is mailed to all CEA members. Annual subscription price is $5.72 (included in membership dues and available only as part of membership). Institutional subscription price: $25.00. Advertising in the CEA Advisor is screened, but the publishing of any advertisement does not imply CEA endorsement of the product, service, or views expressed. CEA Advisor USPS 0129-220 (ISSN 0007-8050) is published in August (regular and special editions), October/November, December/January, February/ March, April (regular and special editions), May/June, and summer by the Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, CT 06106-8001, 860-525-5641. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut. Postmaster: Send address changes to CEA Advisor , Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street,

Hartford, CT 06106-8001. Production date: 10-7-2020