April_2019

CEA

April 2019 • Volume 61, Number 5 • Published by the Connecticut Education Association • cea.org

CLASSROOMS IN CRISIS TEACHERS OPEN UP ABOUT DISRUPTIVE CLASSROOMS, DISRUPTED LEARNING PAGES 8-9

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LEADING

“Not everything that is faced can be changed; but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” James Baldwin, American writer, poet, and social activist

The education community is confronting the ethnic and racial disparity between our nation’s teaching force and student population, and we are facing the issue head-on. In Connecticut, as across the country, a lack of minority teachers means that the teaching community does not adequately represent the

impact of NEA Bylaw 3-1(g), which governs ethnic minority representation at the NEA RA and other related policy and racial justice work. We focused on awareness, capacity building, and action

Leading: Our Perspective

Jeff Leake, CEA President

to engage and activate members, leaders, and

stakeholders in on-the-ground efforts to combat institutional racism and advance racial justice. We are using what we learned to create opportunities for greater member involvement and outreach and the recruitment and retention of ethnic minority educators in our state. In the months ahead, you will have opportunities

student and community population. We know our teachers are doing all they can to help their students by highlighting the strength of their diversity and uniting them together (see story on page 11). But we also know the critical importance of increasing the percentage of minority teachers to represent our state and country’s overall demographics. The National Education Association addressed this disparity in NEA Resolution I-49, which states, “Our Association acknowledges that our society’s historical and current practices have systematically advantaged and privileged people of white European ancestry while disadvantaging and denying rights, opportunities, and equality for people of color. The Association encourages its affiliates to work with family and student partners to develop, initiate, and promote programs that will lead us to repair, heal, organize, and advocate to achieve racial justice so that every student and educator may fulfill their full potential.” Governor Lamont understands the need to shrink the gap between the percentage of minority students in the state and the percentage of minority teachers. At a news conference last month at Harding High School in Bridgeport, he outlined a bill that will expand mortgage assistance and student loan forgiveness programs to more teachers, and encourage more minority students to enter the profession (see story on page 5). CEA supports the governor’s bill and other innovative approaches to recruiting and retaining minority teachers. Together with our members, we have been vocal in supporting several new bills aimed at moving the teaching profession forward to better reflect student diversity and community schools (see pages 4-5). At back-home meetings with their legislators, teachers from across the state have been sharing their concerns on this issue as well as teacher pensions and classroom safety (see story on page 4). And in last month’s CEA Advisor you read about a grant CEA received to help students of color pursue teaching careers. Your leadership team has also been working on strategies to achieve an appropriate ethnic minority delegation to the NEA RA and to advance our racial justice work. Together with our CEA Board of Directors, the leaders of our local affiliates, and our staff, we are encouraging the identification and recruitment of ethnic minority members to become involved at all levels of the Association and to support and advance racial justice in education. We were so proud to have Bridgeport teacher Ana Batista and Waterbury teacher Sean Mosley join us in Washington, D.C., on April 6 along with representatives of 18 NEA state affiliates for a day- long conference, Race Equity in the Association. Together, we worked on identifying and assessing key levers for measuring the success and race equity

Tom Nicholas, CEA Vice President

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA GOVERNANCE Jeff Leake • President Tom Nicholas • Vice President

Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary Kevin Egan • Treasurer

CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas (center) is joined by Waterbury teacher Sean Mosley and Bridgeport teacher Ana Batista at the National Education Association, in Washington, D.C., for a conference on race equity. Missing from the photo is CEA President Jeff Leake, who also attended the conference.

John Horrigan • NEA Director David Jedidian • NEA Director

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Winiarskyj • Managing Editor Sandra Cassineri • Graphic Designer Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator April 2019 Volume 61, Number 5 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 UPS 0129-220 (ISSN 0007-8050) is published in August, October/November, December/ January, February/March, April, May/June, and summer (online) 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: 4-15-2019

to join us in this work as members of CEA’s Ethnic Minority Affairs Commission reach out to ask for your participation in a number of activities, from letter writing to conferences, including an April 25 EMAC workshop, Color of Justice Revisited, at Testo’s Restaurant in Bridgeport. We hope you will join us. Only by facing this issue together can we bring positive change. April 10, 2019 Diversity in education To learn more about CEA’s work to improve the ethnic and racial makeup of our state’s teaching force and how you can get involved, please contact CEA President Jeff Leake at jeffl@cea.org or CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas at tomn@cea.org with the subject line “Racial Justice.” And please take a look at the resources below: neaedjustice.org/racialjustice neaedjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/ Racial-Justice-in-Education.pdf

APRIL 2019 CEA ADVISOR 3

News Briefs

IN THIS ISSUE

Not Getting Full Access to CEA’s Website? Your membership ID, updated profile are key

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LEADING Diversifying the state’s teaching force to better reflect the ethnic and racial makeup of Connecticut’s students is a high priority for teachers and community leaders alike. Read what’s being done at the State Capitol, at the national level, at CEA, and in schools throughout the state—and how you can get involved. With proposals at the legislature impacting everything from teacher pensions and classroom safety to school counselor programs and regionalization, CEA members, leaders, and staff are lobbying hard to protect students, public schools, and the teaching profession. Learn how your voice is critical to our success. UNITING The #RedforEd movement that has swept the country has taken root in Connecticut too, with teachers across the state standing together for the benefit of their students and their schools. PROTECTING Thanks to strong union leadership, teachers’ contracts in one district now include clear protocol for classroom safety—serving as a model for districts throughout the state. No longer in the shadows, Connecticut teachers are opening up about the crisis of disruptive students and disrupted learning in their classrooms—and legislators are listening. Learn how you can support a bill that would ensure safer classrooms for all students. SUPPORTING Read how one teacher successfully fought a nonrenewal notice with her union’s help and turned a crushing experience into a passion for helping other teachers. From building reps to CEA staff, your union is here to ensure you have the support you need. PROMOTING CEA’s latest ad campaign showcases how Connecticut’s public school teachers unite all students. Take a behind-the-scenes look at the teachers behind the message, the impact teachers have on their communities, and how they embrace all cultures in their classroom to help students succeed. HONORING Read about two of your colleagues who earned prestigious national awards for their commitment to quality public education for all. REPRESENTING CEA’s 171st Representative Assembly is in the offing. Get the details and hear from candidates for CEA treasurer and CEA secretary. CEA-RETIRED NEWS By serving on their local boards of education, retired teachers are ensuring that educators have a strong voice at the table. Learn how you can stay active and make a difference for schools, teachers, and students in your community. CELEBRATING See how the Connecticut Education Foundation helped promote literacy and get students excited about reading through the year’s biggest literacy event— with a six-town Read Across America bus tour across eastern Connecticut.

As a CEA member, you have access to a wealth of member-exclusive resources online, including retirement information, organizing tools, teacher evaluation assistance, teacher discounts, and more. To be sure you are getting full access to these benefits, have your membership ID number handy. You’ll find it on your CEA membership card as well as the mailing label on the CEA Advisor that gets delivered to your home.

Trouble accessing your membership number? Log in at cea.org using our

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Membership ID Lookup. (Note: You will no longer be able to look up your membership number using your Social Security number, as this information has been removed from our system for your privacy and security.) For questions, contact CEA’s Cheryl Hampson at 860-525-5641 or cherylh@cea.org . Pension Planning for Early Career Teachers You may be years away from retirement, but it’s never too early to start planning.

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Come and gather the information you need to answer the following questions and more: • How does the retirement system work? • Can I get retirement credit for other work I’ve done? • What happens if I decide to work part-time or take a leave of absence? • What are my options if I decide to leave teaching? • How long do I have to work to collect a pension? • I have heard that my Social Security benefits may be affected. Is that true? Workshops run from 4:30 to 6:15 p.m., and light dinner will be served. To register, go to cea.org/ members/events/pension-issues.cfm . Thursday, April 25 Fitch High School, Groton Thursday, May 2 The Academy of Information Technology and Engineering (AITE), Cyber Cafe, Stamford Monday, May 13 South Windsor High School, South Windsor

CEA offers free, members-only workshops that provide an overview of the Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement System, with an emphasis on issues relevant to teachers in the early phase of their career (less than 15 years of service). All CEA members, regardless of years of service, are welcome to attend.

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8-9 TESTIFYING

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Meet Molly Ferguson—CEA’s New Event Planner Molly Ferguson started her new position as CEA’s event planner on March 4. Her primary responsibilities are planning and organizing internal and external events and meetings, including the CEA Representative Assembly, Summer Conference, and New Teacher Conference. Ferguson’s background includes trade show management, corporate event planning, vendor relations, and managing event logistics from initial contact and planning through post-event feedback surveys. In March, she pitched in with CEA’s Read Across America Reading Bus Tour, where she had the opportunity to meet elementary school teachers from eastern Connecticut, and she’s currently at work planning new teacher orientations and preparing for the CEA RA. A graduate of Southern Connecticut State University, where she majored in theater, Ferguson holds an MBA from the University of New Haven as well as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation.

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SUMMER CONFERENCE Mohegan Sun Earth Expo and Sky Convention Centers

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AUGUST 5-6 • Conference attendance is free • Many new sessions to choose from • Registration opens in early May at cea.org

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CONNECT WITH CEA

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ADVOCATING

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TEACHERS TO LEGISLATORS: THIS IS WHAT WE NEED Teacher-Legislator Back-Home Meetings Emphasize Classroom Safety, Teacher Retirement, More Teachers have a lot to say on issues ranging from their pensions to

be a part of the legislature’s budget discussion. Southington Education Association President Dan Hart, who attended the meeting, has urged his colleagues to continue pushing back against the cost shift. “I’m also urging lawmakers to support the plan to stabilize the Teachers’ Retirement Fund. This is a critical issue for all of us.” (See next page.) Classroom safety A classroom safety bill voted favorably out of the legislature’s Education Committee (story, pages 8-9) now awaits a vote in Appropriations. Hamden teachers told lawmakers why it’s so important to pass this legislation. “I see more and more teachers getting hurt,” said Hamden Education Association President Diane Marinaro. “And it’s not just in Hamden. My colleagues around the state are reporting the same thing. We’re dealing with behaviors we never used to see.” “I’ve only been teaching for 11 years, but during that time there’s been a dramatic change in our young children,” said elementary school teacher Mary Nelson. “It’s not only our neediest children—it’s an epidemic of kids coming to school unable to communicate on a human level. It’s the number-one issue at the elementary level.” Kindergarten teacher Robin Curcio said more and more expectations have been pushed down to younger and younger students. “What we’re asking of them is crazy. Our students don’t have the opportunity to have a sense of adventure, discovery, and play. When the work we expect is not based on children’s developmental needs, they act out.” Hamden teachers shared that administrators are under a lot of pressure to keep suspension rates To set up a back-home meeting with your legislators on these or other

classroom safety this legislative session, and they are making their voices heard at back-home meetings with their elected officials. “Politicians make decisions that affect our students and profession,” says Hamden Education Association Vice President David Abate. “Sitting back and waiting isn’t a solution. If we want legislators to know what’s going on in our schools, they have to hear from us.” Abate was one of 30 Hamden teachers who came out after school to meet with Representatives Mike D’Agostino and Josh Elliott, Senator George Logan, and Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney to share what’s happening in their classrooms and provide feedback on education bills. Similar meetings with legislators have taken place or are planned throughout the state, in towns including Enfield, Bridgeport, Wallingford, Glastonbury, Stamford, Branford, Milford, Berlin, Derby, Danbury, Cheshire, South Windsor, Putnam, Montville, Bloomfield, Manchester, and Westport. “Now is the time legislators need to hear from teachers en masse.” CEA President Jeff Leake “Now is the time legislators need to hear from teachers en masse,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “They need to hear teachers’ personal stories and understand the impact that proposed legislation will have on their teacher constituents.” Teacher pensions A top concern raised at back- home meetings is securing teacher retirement and avoiding a cost shift onto cities and towns. It was only because of CEA’s hard work and the involvement of teachers that the harmful cost shift did not make it out of committee this legislative session, House Speaker Joe Aresimowicz told Berlin and Southington teachers at a back-home meeting. He cautioned, however, that the cost shift will still

Hamden Education Association members including President Diane Marinaro, standing at right, had a number of questions for Rep. Mike D’Agostino, Rep. Josh Elliott, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, and Senator George Logan.

down, leaving teachers with limited resources to make do as best they can with students whose problematic behaviors are a cry for help. Looney explained that lawmakers passed legislation limiting expulsions and out-of-school suspensions out of concern that many students don’t have a safe place to be outside of school. He clarified, however, that legislators’ intent was not “keeping kids in the classroom at all costs.” “We don’t want punishment for our students; what we want is for them to get the help and resources they need,” said Marinaro. Minority teacher recruitment Marinaro and Hamden’s director of human resources met recently with CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas about recruiting more minority students to the teaching profession and looking at ways for high school students to earn credit for education classes they take at Southern Connecticut State University. One teacher mentioned that hundreds of certified teachers of color in Connecticut aren’t currently working as teachers, and Marinaro said that Hamden’s HR director will be reaching out to some of those teachers about future openings. A bill on minority teacher recruitment and retention awaiting consideration in the Appropriations Committee offers additional solutions. (See story, next page.) Regionalization As the governor and lawmakers discuss and debate regionalization as a cost-cutting measure, CEA members and leaders are raising questions about the

potential impact on students, communities, and public schools. Specifically, CEA opposes proposals that force districts to consolidate, regionalize, or close schools. At the back-home meeting with Rep. Aresimowicz, Berlin Education Association President Evelisa Mayette noted, “Teachers are asking: What does this mean for our students and schools? Will they lose their teachers? Will we lose our jobs?” Mayette said she and her colleagues felt better informed—and reassured—after talking to Aresimowicz, who said he doesn’t envision such a scenario. CEA Research and Policy Development Specialist Orlando Rodriguez, the organization’s chief economist, has testified on regionalization and reminded legislators that while CEA supports cost-saving measures that enhance educational outcomes, several proposals that have come before the legislature threaten to do the opposite. “We are concerned that redistricting or consolidating in ways that result in closing schools and increasing class sizes could negatively impact children, teachers, and learning outcomes. When you consider costs, you must also consider educational outcomes. There can be grave long-term social consequences to a cost-only perspective.” At press time, Governor Lamont’s proposal for regionalization had changed to emphasize that any initiative where school districts share services and resources would be voluntary.

issues, contact your local association president and myprofession@cea.org .

Connecticut Receives $100 Million Donation to Serve Disengaged Youth Dalio Philanthropies has committed $100 million to strengthening public education in Connecticut. “If you believe in the future of Connecticut, you invest in the future of

Connecticut, and we invest in each and every one of you,” Governor Lamont told students at East Hartford High School, where the announcement was made. “You’ve got an amazing building, a great principal, and some of the greatest teachers in the world right here at East Hartford High. Let’s give a hand for the teachers. They work their hearts out every day.” “I’ve been lucky to be able to live the American Dream,” said Ray Dalio. “And what it means most fundamentally is equal opportunity in education. When you think, what is the best investment you can make, it has to be in the children’s education and the teachers.” The partnership between the state and Dalio Philanthropies aims to benefit Connecticut’s under-resourced communities, with a specific focus where there is both a high poverty rate and a high concentration of youth (14-24) showing signs of disengagement or disconnection from school. While the Dalios have supported charter schools in the past, Barbara Dalio says their foundation has shifted its focus to neighborhood public schools. Having spent time in Norwalk public schools, she saw firsthand the lack of resources, counselors, and social workers and understands that charters don’t solve the problems facing public education.

CEA Executive Director Donald Williams and President Jeff Leake told Governor Lamont and Barbara Dalio that they look forward to teachers’ input being integral to the partnership.

ADVOCATING

APRIL 2019 CEA ADVISOR 5

Plan to Stabilize Teachers’ Retirement Fund Is Good News; Fight Against Teacher Pension Cost Shift Continues

CEA is backing a proposal by State Treasurer Shawn Wooden to restructure the state Teachers’ Retirement Fund in a way that protects teachers while saving the state an estimated $900 million over the next five years, according to the Office of Policy and Management. This is a plan CEA has strongly advocated for. The plan, which is contained in SB 873: An Act Stabilizing the Teachers’ Retirement Fund, would allow the state to reamortize its unfunded pension liability over 30 years, reducing required contributions to more sustainable levels. It would adopt a more realistic estimate for the assumed rate of return on investments in the Teachers’ Retirement Fund and create a Special Capital Reserve Fund to ensure the repayment of outstanding pension obligation bonds issued in 2008. Testifying before the legislature’s Appropriations Committee, CEA President Jeff Leake noted that Wooden’s plan, which has the support of Governor Lamont,

“ensures the long-term viability of the Teachers’ Retirement Fund and accomplishes two critically important objectives: it reduces the state’s annual payments to a more manageable level (and minimizes the anticipated spike in payments as we approach 2032), while also allowing the assumed rate of investment return to be lowered from 8 percent to 6.9 percent.” “This is a win-win for the state and its dedicated active and retired public school teachers,” said CEA Retirement Specialist Robyn Kaplan- Cho, who also testified before the committee. “It will ensure the fund’s solvency and stability for years to come.” The Appropriations Committee has until May 2 to vote on the plan. Pushback against cost shift continues While a proposal to shift a portion of the state’s teacher pension system costs onto cities and towns failed to make it out of committee this legislative session, Governor Lamont’s latest plan brings a smaller version back. “We strongly oppose any teacher

with members of the Connecticut School Counselor Association and the New England Association for College Admission Counseling, many of whom are CEA members, for a “Day on the Hill” at the State Capitol to increase awareness of the valuable role school counselors play. “Many people do not understand the breadth of school counselors’ training and what we do on a daily basis,” says Veatch. “Some have preconceived ideas from their own school experiences interacting with guidance counselors, but guidance counselors didn’t have the mental health training we do.” She adds, “There are way too many districts where students don’t have access to school counselors.” Connecticut ranks 32 out of 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a student-to-counselor ratio of 466:1—nearly twice the American School Counselor Association recommended ratio of 250:1. Lebanon Middle School counselor retirement cost shift that transfers millions in costs from the state onto our cities and towns,” says Leake. “Most municipalities would be left with less funding for their schools, and teachers’ future salaries and health benefits could be negatively impacted.” “If the town also has to cover a portion of pension costs, that will have to come from somewhere— either larger class sizes or fewer resources,” says Berlin Education Association President Evelisa Mayette. “It’s already such a tight situation—it’s like taking water from a stone. We can barely function with the resources the town gives us. If Watch your inbox for CEA Action Alerts letting you know when decisions will be made about a potential cost shift or other legislation affecting your profession. Be ready to respond and urge your legislators to support teachers, students, and public schools.

Connecticut have equal access to school counselors. It shouldn’t matter if you attend a rural, urban, or suburban school—you should be getting the same support.” Before meeting with legislators, the school counselors gathered at CEA’s office in Hartford to discuss “We know how to advocate for our kids; we need to also advocate for our profession,” said Veatch. Trumbull High School college and career counselor Samantha Eisenberg added, “We want to make a difference for students and get them more access to the services they need. We’re trained to be proactive for our students, and we need to be more proactive in talking to legislators and letting them know that access to school counselors can really help.” Mansfield Middle School counselor Eileen Melody pointed out that studies also show that comprehensive school counseling programs help decrease suspension rates, improve attendance, and raise graduation rates—as well as improve college and career readiness. The counselors urged legislators to support SB 956: An Act Concerning Guidelines for a Comprehensive School Counselor Program, which CEA also testified in support of. political advocacy and the importance of speaking up. the state tells the town it has to contribute additional dollars, it’s going to hurt us in future negotiations. Berlin has underfunded the Board of Education budget for the last five years. We’re underfunded compared to similar towns. And yet lawmakers think somehow teachers can negotiate more money into their contract. It’s got to come from somewhere in the end, and it feels like it’s coming out of the pockets of teachers one way or another. If a town has to take the burden of a cost shift, the cost to teachers in the future will be awful.” Teachers point out that they are not responsible for the state’s budget woes and shouldn’t be held liable for the state’s failure in past years to pay the required amount into the pension fund. They have also been reminding their elected officials that they don’t receive Social Security and that they have always contributed their share to the teacher pension fund. “No one is asking for anything extra, just what was promised,” one Hamden teacher told lawmakers.

School Counselors Advocate for Their Students As rates of anxiety and depression increase among our nation’s youth, the work of school counselors is more important than ever. “But our jobs are the first on the cutting block,” says Housatonic Valley Regional High School counselor Sharon Veatch, who joined

CEA Members Favor Community Schools Legislation Bridgeport Education Association (BEA) members have led a significant community schools effort in their city, and CEA members and staff are urging legislators to pass SB 1021: An Act Concerning A Comprehensive Community Schools Pilot Program, which would replicate that model in other districts. “I am sharing with you a vision of a comprehensive, transformative community school that is envisioned in this bill,” CEA Director of Policy, Research, and Government Relations Ray Rossomando told legislators on the Education Committee at a public hearing. “The model outlined in this bill creates an empowering environment for parents and community partners to transform schools serving our neediest students. Together with educators, stakeholders determine the unique needs of students in their school and identify the community resources available to meet those needs.” As part of its community schools initiative, BEA has reached out to families in the Harding High School community, including its feeder elementary and middle schools. CEA, with support from the National Education Association, has been working with BEA to fund the Bridgeport Educational Alliance for Public Schools to initiate community school strategies in the city. The Alliance works with parents, educators, and local organizations to identify challenges facing students and create coalitions to address them. “The 1,500 members of BEA strongly support this initiative and SB 1021,” said BEA President Gary Peluchette. “Using the community schools model allows not only teachers like me but also students and parents to really become welcome members in decision- making and policy on a school level,” said Harding High School library media specialist Laina Kominos.

Governor, Teachers Want More Educators of Color Speaking to hundreds of students at Bridgeport’s Harding High School in March, Governor Ned Lamont encouraged the city’s youth to pursue careers in teaching. “I want to make sure people know teaching is the most valuable profession in the world,” he said. A bill he has introduced aims to shrink the gap between the percentage of students of color and the percentage of teachers of color in the state. Over 40 percent of the state’s public school students are people of color, while less than 10 percent of the teaching force identifies that way. To recruit more young people to the teaching profession, Lamont’s bill calls for expanding mortgage assistance and student loan forgiveness programs.

Virginia DeLong says, “It’s important that kids across

“We support proposals that promote innovative approaches to the recruitment and retention of teachers of color in Connecticut,” said CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas. “CEA is excited to share the work we have been doing toward this goal and to engage in the development of additional innovative strategies.” CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas and Bridgeport Education Association President Gary Peluchette are encouraged by the governor’s plan to recruit more minority teachers.

School counselor Sharon Veatch talks to fellow school counselors about the need to advocate at the Capitol for their profession and their students.

UNITING

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#REDFORED IN CONNECTICUT How CEA members are joining together to make a difference

From West Virginia to Oklahoma, Arizona, and beyond, educators have turned their city streets, town halls, and capitol lawns crimson in a sweeping movement—#RedforEd—that has empowered them to stand

up for their students, their profession, and their rights. Public school teachers across Connecticut have joined the cause.

Danbury fights for resources for students Wearing #RedforEd on Wednesdays this year, NEA-Danbury members are drawing attention to the lack of resources for Danbury public schools. Danbury spends fewer education dollars per child than any other municipality in Connecticut. Teachers have made signs with slogans including “Danbury students deserve better than #169!” and “Our future is in my classroom.” Many members have attended budget forums and town council meetings to urge officials to put children first and adopt the Board of Education budget.

West Hartford supports negotiations team When the West Hartford Education Association (WHEA) was at a standstill over contract negotiations this fall, more than 100 WHEA members crowded into town council chambers wearing #RedforEd. “The turnout really brightened my heart,” said WHEA President Theresa McKeown. WHEA also held walk-ins and walkouts at many schools—20 minutes before the first bell and 20 minutes after the last bell—to emphasize to administrators the extent to which West

Berlin unity

“We wanted to show we are a united front,” says Berlin Education Association (BEA) President Evelisa Mayette about #RedforEd walkouts BEA held during contract negotiations. Though the negotiations team had already secured a good offer, Mayette says,

Hartford teachers regularly go above and beyond. “It really educated members about their contract and woke up administrators,” says McKeown. West Hartford teachers were eventually able to get a contract with a better, more stable health plan and step movement.

“Teachers wanted to show our unity. We wanted to make sure the Board of Ed knew they weren’t just negotiating with the 10 members of the negotiations team and saw we were a united front.” Teachers overwhelmingly ratified the contract.

Wallingford says no to consolidation Wallingford teachers turned out in force in December to ask for a school renovation plan that puts students first. Several proposals the Board of Education was considering would have forced hundreds of middle and high school students out of their neighborhood schools and crowded them into one “megaschool.” Wallingford Education Association President Louis Faiella told the Board, “Creating Connecticut’s largest middle school would be disastrous for students, teachers, and the community.” The turnout—hundreds of teachers—as well as comments from teachers, students, and parents convinced the Board to scrap plans for consolidating the town’s two middle schools. The battle to keep both high schools open in Wallingford continues.

Region 13 gets respect “Teachers turned out in force after Board of Education members made comments that were not respectful of teachers and what we do in the classroom,” recalls Regional District 13 Education Association President Craig Bradanini. “They talked about ‘reducing overhead’ in reference to people, and not things.” Teachers wore red as a united group to remind Board members that they have a huge impact on children’s education. “We needed to show unity and let them know: we’re people, and we’re here, and we’re paying attention to what members apologized publicly for the comments they had made. It really proved that showing up in unity and having a presence made an impact.” you’re doing,” Bradanini explained. “Two Board

Ellington emerges with fair contract Worried that contract negotiations were heading toward arbitration, Ellington Education Association (EEA) leaders sent out an urgent request for members to show up at a Board of Education meeting. “We’d never done something like this, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we had 90 teachers come—which is almost half of our membership,” said EEA President Mark Mahler. “I think it was the largest number of people to ever attend an Ellington Board of Ed meeting. I was very proud of our members.” EEA was able to arrive at a contract that was acceptable to all, while creating a strong sense of belonging among EEA members.

Waterbury’s hard zero Hundreds of teachers packed a Waterbury Board of Education meeting in March wearing #RedforEd and chanting “No more zero!” after the Board decided to freeze teacher salaries. “We have reached a troubling crossroads in education,” said Kevin Egan, president of the Waterbury Teachers’ Association and CEA treasurer, calling the Board’s refusal of a salary increase “demoralizing to our teachers.” “When our union bands together, we have each other’s backs,” said Hopeville Elementary School teacher Stacy Hittenmark.

PROTECTING

APRIL 2019 CEA ADVISOR 7

TEACHER’S COURAGE, UNION ADVOCACY MAKE CLASSROOM SAFETY A PART OF TEACHERS’ CONTRACTS

After five years as a paraeducator and three as a classroom teacher— all in her hometown—Sara Loftus’s dream of a lifelong teaching profession came to an abrupt end. But even though she left the career she’d always envisioned for herself, she was instrumental in making the experience better for her New Canaan colleagues and the town’s future educators. “Sara had endured repeated classroom assault—a trauma that ultimately led her to leave the profession,” says CEA’s Robyn Kaplan-Cho. “But her determination to set things right and her union’s advocacy on her behalf resulted in clear protocol in her district to inform teachers and administrators of steps needed to ensure greater teacher safety.” “This protocol will become part of every New Canaan teacher’s contract, showing a commitment on the part of both the teachers union and school administration to keep educators and students safe,” says CEA UniServ Representative Brendan Murphy. “It will regularly be reviewed and updated, and it serves as a model for every other school district in our state. If this could be in every teacher’s contract, it would go a long way toward ending the crisis of disrupted learning and disruptive behaviors in classrooms across Connecticut.” “If this could be in every teacher’s contract, it would go a long way

five weeks of the school year and returned in the fall with a full-time position working with four students. It was a heavy but manageable caseload, she recalls, and the students were high-functioning enough that there was conversation and laughter with them. “I loved it,” she says. “I enjoyed working with my students and participating in their IEP meetings.” The following year, Loftus had a very different population of students—one she describes as “more significantly involved.” One student, who had come from out-of- district, was nonverbal and highly aggressive. “This was when violence in the classroom first became an issue for me,” Loftus says. “This student had significant needs, and we needed a safety assist plan for him. The days were definitely harder, the student was throwing things, and at one point, he punched me in the face. I had to miss work as well as get trained in restraint.” Although a safety assist plan was developed, first responders were not always there within those critical first minutes. “I was often a target for this dysregulated student,” Loftus recalls, “and I frequently had to clear the room, with each episode lasting two to three hours. Meanwhile, I was losing a lot of one-on-one instructional time with my other students, and their behavior began to deteriorate for lack of individualized attention.” The student was eventually outplaced to a private special education facility, and Loftus’s classroom became manageable for the remainder of the year. In her third year, everything changed. Downward spiral “Over the summer, I worked with a child who was transitioning into the middle school,” Loftus says. “He was very verbal, and I didn’t see anything alarming at first, but it spiraled pretty quickly. The teacher’s aide who had worked with him in elementary school transitioned up with him and warned us, ‘There is a lot of behavior here, times when your room will be destroyed.’ I learned very quickly that this was all true. “When he entered my classroom, he showed a lot of outward

Sara Loftus continues to work with young people, such as former student Andrew Blackwell, outside the classroom.

aggression toward other students, and anytime he was upset, he would curse or attack them as well as our school resource officer. That third year of my teaching career, my caseload also went up from four students to eight self-contained, highly involved students, each requiring six hours of direct daily instruction from me.” One day, she recalls, this particular student shattered her glasses. “I had to leave work and get contacts. He was ripping things off the wall, hitting, kicking, and using vulgar language.” Shortly after, he bit and bruised her forearm, sending her out for medical care once again. “I had to get a tetanus shot,” she explains. “We had no typed-up protocol about any of this, and no behavioral forms to fill out for written documentation.” New Canaan Education Association (NCEA) President Vivian Birdsall became aware of Loftus’s situation and addressed it with administrators. “We needed to get help for this teacher and critical supports for her students,” Birdsall says. And that’s exactly what NCEA and CEA did.

Paving the way Because of Loftus’s courage to speak out and her determination to set things right for her colleagues, New Canaan now has clear classroom safety protocol as part of its collective bargaining agreement. “Sara’s bravery and honesty paved the way for the New Canaan Public Schools to make a positive change that can, in turn, impact the lives of many Connecticut teachers,” says NCEA Vice President Ronna Van Veghel. “Initially it was bittersweet for me,” Loftus explains, “because I wish I had had these same guidelines and protections, but it’s awesome for teachers going forward, especially early-career teachers who might be afraid to come forward for fear of being labeled a problem.” “This protocol is in effect now,” says Murphy, “and New Canaan principals have notified teachers of their rights and responsibilities when it comes to classroom safety. This will now become part of each teacher’s procedural handbook.” Key provisions include • Teachers’ ability to invoke their rights to notify the police under Assault Statute 10-233g • A team—including the involved teacher—determining when an aggressive student may return to the classroom • Parents of the aggressive student notified in writing of any incidents • Incident reports sent to the school superintendent “If you find yourself in a position like Sara did—with an aggressive student and no guidelines to help you,” says Kaplan-Cho, “keep your union representative apprised of what’s happening. Elementary school teachers are often the least likely to raise their voices about aggressive student behavior, perhaps because their students are so young—but this is where a majority of the aggressive behavior is happening.”

toward ending the crisis of disrupted

learning and disruptive behaviors in classrooms across the state.”

Brendan Murphy, CEA UniServ Representative

In the beginning When she was in kindergarten, Sara Loftus had a classmate with autism. “I was asked to be his peer helper,” she recalls, “and from that experience, what unfolded was a desire to work with children who have special needs.” Loftus, who has dual certification as both a K-6 regular education teacher and a special education teacher, began her career as a teaching assistant at Saxe Middle School in New Canaan, where she— and her parents before her—grew up. “For five years I worked one-on- one with a child who had significant needs,” she explains. “It opened my eyes to the world of special education, and I wanted to continue working with children whose needs were severe. This is where I wanted to make an impact.” When a position opened up in 2015, Loftus was thrilled. She began as a long-term substitute in the final

A BRIGHTER FUTURE Though Loftus left the teaching profession, she has not abandoned her dream of working with special needs students. Recently she teamed up with a former student who wanted to be part of the youth football team. “I’m close with the parents of many former students, and I’m happy to work with them on the things they love and need,” Loftus says. “Andrew, who has Down syndrome, is very social, and being involved in youth football is a way for him to grow socially with his peers. This past fall, I attended all of his practices with him, worked with him on following directions and understanding the game, and coached him on the sidelines. My love for working with children with special needs is still there, and I am finding ways to be fulfilled outside the classroom.”

TESTIFYING

8 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2019

CLASSROOMS IN CRISIS: THE HIDDEN REALITY IN CONNECTICUT’S SCHOOLS Teachers share powerful stories of classroom violence, diminished learning

At a public hearing of the Connecticut General Assembly’s Education Committee earlier this legislative session, classroom teachers—along with CEA leaders and staff—gave powerful testimony urging lawmakers to address the growing crisis of violent student behavior in rural, urban, and suburban schools throughout the state. They asked their legislators to support House Bill 7110—An Act Concerning Enhanced Classroom Safety and School Climate—which would require schools to help students exhibiting extreme behaviors, provide increased student supports and teacher training, and address children’s mental health and social-emotional needs. More than a dozen teachers and CEA staff testified in person at the hearing, while over 100 others submitted written testimony describing behaviors that continually render their classrooms unsafe and inhibit learning for all students. The bill passed out of committee and will Contact your legislators and ask them to support HB 7110. Schools held hostage In compelling testimony delivered at the Education Committee hearing, Danbury fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Reynolds, a 19-year veteran, pointed out how “a single student’s disruptive behavior can hold an entire school hostage.” She described a school repeatedly in lockdown because of a dysregulated child roaming the halls as well as an entire grade level trapped in their classrooms because of a violent student outside their doors. classrooms is serious and real. Another year of doing nothing is not acceptable.” Jeff Leake, CEA President “This is urgent. The trauma in our next be considered by the Appropriations Committee.

“The measure of

a good day is no longer about learning .

about the problems CEA teachers and staff described—and even experienced them in their own school districts. “I’m an elementary school parent,” said Representative Jillian Gilchrest. Last year, when her first- grade daughter was in kindergarten, she told Gilchrest matter-of-factly one day about a classmate who “got naked again,” prompting the teacher to remove all other students from the classroom. Kaplan-Cho nodded. “Disruptive classroom behavior has become so normalized that parents rarely even hear about it, because kids aren’t talking about it at dinner. That alone is a reason for change.” Representative Vincent Candelora also shared, “I’ve had a number of elementary teachers reach out to me. I was a little taken aback. These educators are devoted to their classroom, and I believe 100 percent they care deeply about the children.” Swept under the rug East Hampton first-grade teacher Cindy Mazzotta told lawmakers she and her colleagues have witnessed a is that no one was injured or assaulted.” Jennifer Reynolds, fourth- grade teacher, Danbury “tremendous change” in student behavior over the last four years of her 19-year career as a teacher. Mazzotta described starting the current school year with “20 bright- eyed students who were ready to learn.” Soon after, she realized two of her students had severe behavioral issues. When she approached her administrator for help, she was told, “Everyone has challenges.” The following day, a student pushed her so hard she fell backward, injuring her back and causing her to miss weeks of work. Mazzotta was reassigned as a K-1 interventionist and forced to leave her classroom behind. Cry for help Unlike many teachers throughout the state, Madison high school special education teacher Danielle Fragoso The measure of a good day now

Connecticut teachers Danielle Fragoso, Jennifer Reynolds, and Cindy Mazzotta prepare to testify before lawmakers about their experience with aggressive student behavior. Watch the video at youtube.com/ceavideo .

“We have had children bring hunting knives to school, hurl metal desks and chairs, threaten their classmates, and shove older or pregnant teachers,” she recalled. “I have had times where 75 percent of my day was taken up by a troubled child in my classroom. Every child I teach deserves their full share of my time—every single one. But how can children make the necessary growth when their teacher is too busy running interference? The measure of a good day is no longer about learning. The measure of a good day now is that no one was injured or assaulted.” By the numbers Students as young as five are biting, kicking, punching, throwing items, urinating on teachers, spitting at classmates,

and lashing out in other ways that put them and their entire classrooms in danger, CEA President Jeff Leake told the committee. “They are coming to school with complex needs, and schools don’t have the resources to address the root causes of these incidents.” School social worker and CEA Vice President Tom Nicholas described how last school year, in just one month’s time, he was hit and kicked no less than 15 times, had a student threaten to kill him with a gun, and fractured three vertebrae trying to protect a student who had run outside the building. CEA’s Robyn Kaplan-Cho provided highly detailed accounts of both disruptive student behaviors and disrupted learning reaching epidemic proportions. “It can take up to three hours from the time a classroom is cleared to settle back in and begin learning,” she explained. “This is trauma not only for the disruptive child who is clearly crying out for help but for the other children in the classroom as well. How many children continue to languish in their classrooms?” She noted that the bill does not call for disciplining or punishing children with behavioral issues but simply getting them the help they desperately need. A handful of lawmakers on the committee acknowledged that they’ve been privy to information

“Howmany children continue to languish in their classrooms?” Robyn Kaplan-Cho, CEA

CEA’s Robyn Kaplan-Cho urges the Education Committee to pass a bill that creates safe learning environments and provides much-needed support for students with behavioral issues. Legislators listened and passed the bill out of committee.