CEA Advisor_April 2022

Apri l 2022 • Volume 64, Number 5 • Publ ished by the Connecticut Educat ion Associat ion • cea.org CEA WHAT YOU DON’T SEE CEA MEMBERS OPEN UP ABOUT l Students’ mental health

l Poor indoor air quality in schools l Shortage of certified mental health

professionals in schools l Need for HVAC upgrades

2 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2022

LEADING

Hurdles Ahead— And Hope Leading: Our Perspective

Weeks ago, lilies and hostas began to break through the gray gardens, and we became excited for the possibilities that spring provides. Walks outside without extra gear, longer days, relaxing on the deck. Then it snowed. That prettymuch sums up this year. But spring is coming, and hope can’t be frozen out forever! So, let’s talk about hope.

look at new ways to grow our Aspiring Educator program. Brainstorming ways to support, encourage, and grow with our newest educators was so exciting. In the same vein,

Kate Dias, CEA President

we held a retreat for local presidents and our board of directors that gave us time to find support and inspiration in the work being done across the state. It reminded us once again of how dedicated and creative our leadership teams are. On the heels of that, we attended the Early Career Educator Conference, where veteran teachers shared their experiences and expertise to help newer educators continue developing their craft. (See highlights on pages 10-11.) There was also more hope to be uncovered in our other events and programming, including our first-ever What’s Real in Education forum, hosted by CEA in conjunction with AFT Connecticut and Connecticut’s superintendents. Students, educators, and legislators came together to talk about race, equity, diversity, and their place in education. What a great evening to dig deep, talk about the big issues we’re facing, and come together about what real, productive change looks like. (Read more on pages 4-5.) For our students, CEA’s charitable arm—the Connecticut Education Foundation—sent the beloved blue Read Across Connecticut bus back out onto the road, where it traveled from school to school for an entire week with free books and fun activities to share. New London Education Association President Rich Baez, his amazing teachers, and their very enthusiastic students all gave us a warm welcome as the bus made stops throughout town. The reading bus tour—an annual favorite— finished with a celebration hosted by Education Association of Plainfield President Susanne Bajek and her terrific teachers and students. What a way to celebrate our young readers and their celebrity role models alike. (Curious about who climbed aboard the bus? See page 16.) Every time the bus pulled up to a new school, we saw hope and joy on so many faces. And the fun didn’t end there. Recognizing that reading continues to be important in the middle and upper grades, we called on some of our favorite homegrown celebrities from the basketball court to the boulders of Colorado to share their own reading journeys with students and inspire them to keep making literacy and learning a priority. Videos and materials are available year-round at cea.org/read-across-connecticut/ . Fun and games aside, we know educators are tired and hurting, and we can’t ignore that reality. But we are also resilient and persistent. To quote Glennon Doyle, we can “do hard things.” As you continue to do the important work of an educator, we will continue to advocate for you and look for new and creative ways to grow this amazing profession. Thanks to our combined efforts, we have much to look forward to and be hopeful for this spring.

Where do we place our hope in challenging times? For us, that has been the work of looking to the future. In our immediate future are the final days of a legislative session that has been both short and hectic. We are pushing hard for some big changes. Indoor air quality standards and funding for those modifications top the list of agenda items that the legislature has embraced. We are excited to see that issue being supported with bipartisan efforts to move it to the floor for passage. In addition, we have worked hard to advance some of our agenda items related to students’ mental health, including reducing the ratio of students to social workers/counselors/ psychologists. In that lane, we have asked legislators to consider the mental health impact of the kindergarten start age, the importance of play in the early elementary grades, and the need to prohibit dual instruction. Those would require amendments to existing proposals, but we are working to identify lawmakers to champion our causes. (See pages 6-7.) We are also seeking an amendment that would award teachers a pandemic credit toward their retirement. To be fair, this is a long way from done, but we are asking and advocating hard for all of our members, and we are proud that so many of you are right there with us advocating for your colleagues, yourselves, and—as always—your students. On the subject of advocating for students, CEA launched a major social media campaign—What You Don’t See—where some inspirational members and supporters gave voice to pressing issues facing our members and our students across the state: anxiety, trauma, sick buildings, and countless other challenges largely invisible to those outside the classroom. (See pages 8-9.) If you have not already done so, take some time to watch the videos and read the stories of your colleagues and the families we support. What You Don’t See offers a place for you to tell your own story as well, at cea.org/whatyoudontsee . There is still time to add your voice to the cause; please trust that your story matters. Hundreds of educators have shared their stories, and our legislators are listening. Make no mistake, they are the decision-makers when it comes to many significant issues important to your daily work. You are also contributing your own ideas to our mission, and they are helping make our profession and our professional association alike stronger. Recently we had the opportunity to convene a group of CEA board members at a leadership conference. One of the ideas we walked away with inspired us to

Joslyn DeLancey, CEA Vice President

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA GOVERNANCE Kate Dias • President Joslyn DeLancey • Vice President

Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary David Jedidian • Treasurer

Tara Flaherty • NEA Director Katy Gale • NEA Director

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Day • Managing Editor Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer Apr i l 2022 Volume 64, Number 5 Publ ished by Connect icut Educat ion Associat ion 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, October/November, December/ January, February/March, April, 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.

Gatherings such as our recent Early Career Educator Conference help us recharge and look to the future with renewed strength and hope.

Production date: 4-4-2022

APRIL 2022 CEA ADVISOR 3

IN THIS ISSUE

News Briefs

Meet CEA’s New Legislative Coordinator CEA Government Relations welcomes Louis Rosado Burch On February 22, CEA welcomed Louis Rosado Burch as its new legislative coordinator. With the 2022 legislative session underway, Rosado Burch has been working with members and lawmakers to advance multiple teacher priorities, including improving indoor air quality in school buildings, building successful school communities, supporting students’ mental health, and enhancing the teaching profession. Prior to joining CEA, he spent more than 14 years as an environmental advocate, fighting for progressive legislation to expand access to recycling, protect Connecticut’s

2

LEADING With some excellent pro-education bills on the table late this legislative session and more opportunities opening up for teachers to collaborate and make change, there is reason for hope even among the hurdles still ahead. We need everyone’s help to get across the finish line. What do you do when you’re faced with angry accusations or misinformation about what you teach? That was one of the questions taken up at CEA’s What’s Real in Education forum that brought educators, administrators, and lawmakers together for a candid conversation. With only weeks left of the legislative session, CEA is making a strong push for measures to create safe, healthy schools, retain teachers, and help educators retire with dignity. Your efforts can get those bills over the finish line. What You Don’t See is CEA’s social media campaign revealing the challenges facing students and teachers and rallying legislators for their support. Take a look behind the scenes. New teachers from around the state gathered for a day of free professional learning and face-to-face conversations with mentors and peers at CEA’s 2022 Early Career Educator Conference. See who’s running for CEA Secretary, CEA Treasurer, and NEA Director Alternate. Connecticut teachers have a legal duty to report potential child abuse or neglect. A failure to do so, or a delay in reporting, puts students at risk and has serious consequences for teachers— ranging from job termination to criminal prosecution. CEA’s legal experts explain what you must report and to whom, as well as how, when, and why. Reserve your spot at this year’s CEA-R Spring Meeting as well as county meetings happening throughout the state. The Connecticut Education Foundation put a new spin on Read Across America this year by inviting special guests— including basketball legend Scott Burrell—to join Connecticut students aboard the big blue reading bus.

4-5 INFORMING

Louis Rosado Burch

water resources, and promote a healthy environment. His legislative achievements include keeping school athletic fields and public playgrounds free of harmful pesticides, passage of a statewide ban on plastic checkout bags, modernizing Connecticut’s container deposit law (a.k.a. “the Bottle Bill”), and many others. A graduate of SUNY Stony Brook, where he majored in sociology and political science, Rosado Burch completed an apprenticeship with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Boston before finishing his undergraduate education. When he is not in Hartford advocating for educators, Rosado Burch is making music or spending time with his dog, Dewey. An avid hiker, traveler, martial arts practitioner, and guitar player, he enjoys hiking across New England, exploring our national parks, and visiting with family in New York and Puerto Rico.

6-7 ADVOCATING

8-9 COMMUNICATING

Meet CEA Members Running for Office, Get a First Look

10-11 CONNECTING

at Upcoming CEA Business

12 REPRESENTING

Join CEA leaders and county directors for a virtual business meeting on April 25. Hear from colleagues running for CEA and NEA offices in May, and get a first glimpse of the business at hand at the annual CEA Representative Assembly. Packed into this one-hour meeting is a budget review, proposed constitution and bylaws changes, proposed resolutions, and other CEA business. All CEA members are welcome.

13 ADVISING

Don’t Be a Statistic Name your life insurance beneficiary today 47 % That’s how many CEA members have not registered or named a beneficiary for the free life insurance available to them through NEA’s Complimentary Life Insurance program. As a CEA member, you are also a member of NEA—which entitles you to Complimentary Life Insurance issued by The Prudential Insurance Company of America in your name, including $1,000 of term life insurance and up to $5,000 of accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) coverage. Naming a beneficiary is a way of ensuring your loved ones are cared for after you’re gone and your life insurance benefit gets to them quickly. A beneficiary can be one or more people, a trustee of a trust you’ve created, a charity, or your estate. If you don’t name a beneficiary, your life insurance benefit will automatically go to your estate—essentially the things that make up your net worth, including any debts—before any family or friends. When this happens, it can slow down the payout process significantly and may reduce the amount provided to your loved ones.

15 CEA-RETIRED

16 CELEBRATING

Newington teacher Elsa Batista ensures that sons Nicholas and Christian are protected through NEA Complimentary Life Insurance.

If you’ve experienced life changes since your last update—think divorce, marriage, adoption—you may want to update your beneficiaries. It doesn’t matter if you’ve updated your will to include your new spouse; if someone else is listed as your life insurance beneficiary, that person will receive your life insurance benefit. This is because beneficiaries named in a life insurance policy can override who is named in a will, making it crucial that you regularly check your beneficiary list to ensure it’s up to date. Don’t miss out on this no-cost benefit offered to every CEA member. It takes only a few minutes to choose or update your information, which can help ensure your loved ones are cared for and your wishes are clear. Sign up or check your beneficiary status today.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR CEA MEMBERSHIP! Through Buyer’s Edge and dozens of other CEA Member Benefits partners, teachers get discounts on everything from automobiles to home appliances to homeowners insurance. See what you can save! Visit cea.org/discounts today.

CONNECT WITH CEA

facebook.com/ CTEdAssoc

youtube.com/ ceavideo

cea.org/daily twitter.com/ ceanews

instagram.com/ cea_teachers

flickr.com/ photos/ceapics

INFORMING

4 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2022

TEACHERS, LEGISLATORS ON

Daniel HoSang, Yale professor of Ethnicity, Race, & Migration and American Studies, moderates a panel of educators (L-R): Benie N’sumbu, Giselle Garcia, Leslie Blatteau, and Ruth-Terry Walden.

THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS HAVE SEEN CLASSROOMS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETINGS TURN INTO BATTLEGROUNDS FOR EVERYTHING FROM COVID PROTOCOL TO CURRICULUM.

What are educators to do when they’re faced with angry accusations, confused parents, and misinformation about what they teach? How can they ensure schools are strongholds of diversity, equity, and inclusion and dispel myths about what that means? Those were the questions taken up at a forum in RockyHill in February that brought educators, administrators, and lawmakers together for a discussion of What’s Real in Education. The program—held in person and livestreamed—was a collaborative effort of CEA, AFT Connecticut, and the Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents (CAPSS). Chilling effect CEA President Kate Dias described significant abuse aimed at teachers and curricula in the context of public school board meetings, private emails, and social media—including recent threats that have had a chilling effect on Guilford educators by a group purporting to be watching everything they do. As many as 43 states have passed or considered legislation to restrict educators’ ability to teach a broad range of subjects, including gender, sexuality, race, and racism. The list of banned books and materials grows longer each day, and more than a third of educators surveyed nationwide say they are more likely to leave the profession at the end of this school year in the face of laws that prevent honest teaching and conversations. “This distortion and perversion of the work we do every day has brought us together to say we can’t let the noise be the only information that’s out there,” said Dias. “We have to bring our perspective to the table, let everybody know what’s real in

education, and provide protection for our educators.” “Teaching is a hard job,” AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel remarked, adding that student trauma and dysregulation forged by the pandemic have only made it harder. “We need to offer support systems for our teachers. We’re not getting the respect we deserve.” That protection and support would come, in part, from a proposed Educator’s Bill of Rights that calls for freedomfrom intimidation, respect for the dignity and expertise of educators, equitable resources that are not limited by a school’s ZIP code, school communities that cultivate social emotional health for optimal teaching and learning, and recruitment and retention of diverse educators.

can grow every child who’s in your care. We’re much more powerful when we’re one.” Panelist Ruth-Terry Walden, an English teacher at Westhill High School in Stamford, recalled her start in teaching as a second career. “Six weeks into teaching, I looked at the books on my classroom shelf and said, ‘I can’t use these books.’ They were all written by white men about other white men.” As a woman of color, Walden noted, “We’ve always been there; we just haven’t been in the history books. Women couldn’t see themselves in these books, and certainly Black children, brown children, and indigenous children couldn’t see themselves. Students have to be able to see themselves in their classroom to be

free from intimidation. Just the fact that teachers are being made to feel afraid to go into their classrooms and teach the truth has to change. Teachers shouldn’t have to sacrifice their professional lives.” Panelist Leslie Blatteau, a world history teacher at New Haven’s Metro Business Academy and president of the New Haven Federation of Teachers Local 933, described anti-racist teaching strategies that she and her colleagues use, including checking with students to find out what they want to learn. “That doesn’t mean throwing out curriculum,” she clarified. “It means empowering students with choice. American history is a history of Black resistance. We are teaching students that another world is

Just the fact that teachers are being made to feel afraid to go into their classrooms and teach the truth has to change.” GISELLE GARCIA, MANCHESTER TEACHER

Educators speak out The forum led off with a panel of classroom educators sharing their own experiences with anti-racist, anti- discriminatory teaching, including obstacles they have faced. They urged colleagues, administrators, and lawmakers to stand together to ensure Connecticut teachers are not sanctioned or silenced for teaching equity, diversity, and truth. CAPSS President Fran Rabinowitz agreed. “Teachers are the most important asset we have in our schools, and our job is to ensure you have the environment where you

engaged.” She added, “We need administrators and legislators to have our backs when we do this work.” Walden also noted that much of the curriculum that deals with Black, brown, and indigenous people is limited to their suffering and struggles without also acknowledging their successes. “We must convey the joy in their stories, the fact that our ancestors passed the torch and we endured.” Fellow panelist and Manchester High School math teacher Giselle Garcia described her own experiences teaching about race. “Our school is engaging in a lot of work centered on race and equity,” Garcia said. “As a Puerto Rican woman, I think of my role and how I interact with students. We’re fortunate that we have anti-racist teachers creating anti-racist classrooms and that we’re all engaging in that training.” She acknowledged, however, that teachers are “still working in a system that perpetuates the racism we’re trying to undo,” adding, “Teachers deserve to be viewed as professionals and trained experts in our field. We also have the right to be

possible. We have a right to teach our students the truth.” One of the driving forces behind the campaign for Connecticut’s new Black/Latino Studies high school course that won recent approval, panelist Benie N’sumbu is a former organizer with Students for Educational Justice, in New Haven. Like students, she said, teachers have been instrumental in agitating for change. “I’m excited that there are teachers who are passionate, creative in their classrooms, and committed to teaching the truth,” N’sumbu said. “As long as we have teachers like these, and we support them, our children are in great hands.” Shared goals Legislators joined the discussion in a bipartisan panel of their own, emphasizing that education is an area where all lawmakers can and should come together. Republican State Representative Kathleen McCarty, a former teacher herself, expressed pride in being a ranking member of the legislature’s Education Committee. “If we keep our children centered

INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF ATTEMPTS TO BAN SCHOOL LIBRARY BOOKS (SEPTEMBER 2020 TO SEPTEMBER 2021) 67 %

Source: American Library Association

INFORMING

SECTION HEADER APRIL 2022 CEA ADVISOR 5

(Left photo) CEA President Kate Dias, together with CAPSS President Fran Rabinowitz and AFT Connecticut President Jan Hochadel, leads off the forum. (Top photo) CEA Executive Director Donald Williams asks legislators Cabrera, McCarty, and Comey for their perspectives and support in passing legislation critical to public education.

Continuing the conversation CEA Executive Director and former legislator Donald Williams, who moderated the legislative panel, praised Connecticut’s bipartisan tradition on education issues, saying, “It’s worked in the past, and we need for it to work now and in the future.” To that end, he asked how teachers can support legislators in pulling together colleagues from both parties on the issues of greatest concern to educators this year: school indoor air quality and mental health supports. “Constant communication,” said McCarty, emphasizing, “It has to be ongoing. Don’t approach legislators with the idea that they have all the answers. Write good testimony. Make it real for us. Tell us what’s going on in the classrooms. Your voices matter. We do have to fight for the dollars to do what we say we need to do.” She noted that a key piece of legislation she believes is likely to pass this session—a bill on indoor air quality—“came from CEA and

this coalition. You brought these stories to us.” “Keep gathering teachers and legislators together like this,” said Cabrera. “Share your everyday work. I’ve received postcards from teachers in my district—handwritten notes. It’s easy in the legislature to become removed from the work on the ground.” CEA’s Kate Dias challenged teachers at the forum to keep the conversation going with legislators, letting all of their elected officials know what’s real in education. “Where are you willing to give voice? How are you going to show people that prep time is typically spent counseling students and supporting families? It’s not preparing for lessons. That’s what teachers do at 5 a.m., when they’re photocopying, when they’ve had to fight to get there early. Talk to your colleagues too. Remind them, ‘You’ve got a really good story; you should share it.’ Tell parents, ‘You’ve got something important to tell your legislators; you should tell it.’”

We need administrators and legislators to have our backs when we do this work.”

RUTH-TERRY WALDEN, STAMFORD TEACHER

first, we can’t go wrong in the legislation we pass,” she said. “Providing a quality education for all our students in Connecticut is our number-one priority.” McCarty underscored what teachers have been reporting— namely, that the pandemic has exacerbated many of the issues educators see in their classrooms and that students desperately need more mental health and behavioral services. “We’re having ambulances take students to emergency rooms, and they’re returning to school without having received the services they need,” she said. Describing a common public perception that social emotional learning is “fluff” that somehow sacrifices precious instructional time, she said, “SEL is so important today. We’re teaching compassion, kindness, and critical thinking. What better way to engage our students than to make them aware of each other?” Emphasizing that teachers’ role expands beyond academics, Representative Robin Comey, said, “We all remember our favorite teachers, because they inspired us in some way, but often the public— including some parents—don’t see it that way. Those are the misconceptions—that teachers connecting with students and taking care of social emotional needs is not important, or that it’s too ‘touchy- feely.’” Characterizing mental health as one of the biggest challenges in public education, Senator Jorge Cabrera called for more school- based health clinics, school social workers, psychologists, and counselors, and a better continuum of care. “Longer term,” he said, “the biggest challenge facing public education is keeping people in the profession. They are quitting.” Among his many suggestions for

stopping the outflow of qualified teachers from the profession they love was making sure educators have “time to collaborate and space to decompress.” Comey noted, “The inequitable allocation of limited resources in our state is also a challenge.” “If we continue to rely on property taxes to fund our schools, we will continue to face the same challenges and inequities we’ve always had,” Cabrera agreed. “We’ve got to tackle that, because if we don’t, we’ll be having these same conversations over and over. Federal dollars are going to run out.”

WHERE EDUCATION IS UNDER ATTACK 43 states have passed or considered legislation restricting educators’ ability to teach about race, racism, gender, and sexuality

Bill was signed into law or a similar state level action was approved Bill has been proposed or is moving through state legislature Bill has been vetoed, overturned or stalled indefinitely No state-level action or bill introduced

While legislation hasn't reached our State Capitol, e orts to silence and intimidate teachers have gained traction in some cities and towns.

ADVOCATING

6 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2022

Deadline to pass key bills for students and teachers fast approaching HAVE YOU CALLED , EMAILED YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY? watered down if lawmakers don’t see the urgent need for them this session.” Various proposals before legislators would establish a stronger system of mental health supports for students, better air quality in schools, a more secure retirement for teachers, incentives for retaining educators, and more. “These are all urgent and long overdue, and now is the time to call and write to your legislators,” says Dias. “Press them to bring key bills up for a vote—and to vote them into law this year.”

Before Connecticut’s General Assembly session wraps up at midnight on May 4, CEA is pushing to get key legislation over the finish line, and your voice is critical to that effort. “We have important bills before legislators right now, with bipartisan support behind them,” says CEA President Kate Dias, “but a lot can happen—or not happen—in these final weeks. Bills that don’t get called up for a vote on the House or Senate floor before the clock runs down will not become laws. Bills that fail to get enough votes in either chamber will not pass. Proposals could fall short of getting the funding necessary to implement them if the legislature’s Appropriations Committee doesn’t act. In other words, even bills with broad support among legislators could die or get INDOOR AIR QUALITY Legislation strongly promoted by CEA would establish standards to address poor indoor air quality, inadequate HVAC systems, and excessive temperatures and humidity in school buildings—and provide the funding necessary to implement those changes. It would, among other things • Define indoor air quality as “the overall potential health factors within a school facility, including air quality, mold levels, and other potentially harmful toxins.” • Establish acceptable temperature and humidity ranges (68°–76°F; 20 %–60 % humidity levels) as well as HVAC standards • Monitor and ensure compliance • Provide additional whistleblower protection for employees who report indoor air quality concerns Strong indoor air quality legislation is crucial in preventing chronic illness and instructional loss caused by excessive school temperatures, humidity, and mold, as shown in this Stamford classroom. SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL COMMUNITIES Legislators are considering several bills that would build successful school communities, and CEA leaders, staff, and members have testified on legislation that • Provides social emotional supports and behavioral interventions for students • Ensures that ratios of social workers, school counselors, speech pathologists, and other certified staff meet national standards • Amplifies teacher voice in determining SEL supports, behavioral interventions, and curricular decisions • Requires boards of education to complete a needs assessment each year identifying resources necessary to address student trauma in their schools • Prohibits dual instruction, where a single educator must simultaneously teach remote and in-person students • Requires six years of classroom teaching experience for administrator certification and 10 years to serve as a building principal CEA has also put forth proposals that would help recruit and retain educators and revitalize the profession by providing uninterrupted prep time, duty-free lunch periods, adequate opportunities for teacher collaboration, streamlined and improved teacher evaluation, developmentally appropriate curricula and an emphasis on the value of play in the early grades, and more. Speaking to some of these points as well as others, Lesley Keener, a 35-year veteran Newington teacher, testified on several proposals before the legislature’s Education Committee designed to build successful school communities. She told legislators: I almost made a career change to the private sector. Teachers are throwing in the towel across the country. It has always been a challenging career, but the last few years have been especially so.

Read up on CEA’s legislative priorities and testimony at cea.org/cea-top-legislation-action/ .

I’ve experienced firsthand and listened to so many colleagues and parents share their increasing concerns about children’s mental, physical, and behavioral health and well-being. We are putting too much stress on our young people, and they are telling us so. They are throwing chairs, destroying school property, striking out, and crying for help. We continue to have achievement gaps, low literacy rates statewide, and an increase in teen suicides, vaping, and drug use. These bills take important steps to address Connecticut children’s mental and behavioral health needs and safeguard their physical and emotional well-being. We definitely need more support staff, services, and funding in the area of mental and behavioral health. But can these bills also help us unearth the tangled roots of why children are struggling more than before? As a kindergarten teacher, I can attest to what is happening in the early grades. What happens to kindergartners greatly affects them in the older grades. We have lost our focus on the development of oral language, critical thinking, coping, and executive functioning skills because of the pressure and focus on academic skills at too young an age, weakening the foundation for cognitive, emotional, and physical growth. To boot, we have curricula and assessments based on national standards and norms, yet we still are the only state bringing four-year-olds into kindergarten. We have to look at how and what we are teaching along with how children learn best—at all levels—and this may help reduce the number of mental and behavioral health challenges we are seeing now.

We are putting

too much stress on our young people and they are

telling us so.” LESLEY KEENER

ADVOCATING

SECTION HEADER APRIL 2022 CEA ADVISOR 7

PANDEMIC SERVICE CREDIT, FINANCIALLY DISTRESSED COMMUNITIES TEACHING CREDIT CEA has proposed awarding additional service time to every teacher who worked through the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 school years. “This measure recognizes that these years of working in the pandemic have been particularly taxing, particularly challenging, and continue to be some of the most stressful,” said CEA President Kate Dias in testimony before legislators. “It would serve as an acknowledgement of how incredibly difficult the last two years have been for our educators.” CEA also supports bonus credited years of service for educators in financially distressed communities, which would allow districts with chronic teacher shortages to attract and retain educators, ensuring continuity for students and decreasing the high costs and consequences of teacher turnover. “What we don’t want to see is people who commit five or 10 years to a chronically underfunded district, who love these communities, and then have to abandon them because when they get closer to retirement, they want to see that wage increase,” Dias told lawmakers. “We’re looking at creative ways to incentivize and keep people in those districts.” HEALTH INSURANCE SUBSIDY FOR RETIRED TEACHERS Testifying before legislators, CEA-Retired President WilliamMurray and CEA Retirement Specialist Robyn Kaplan-Cho urged lawmakers to increase the health insurance subsidy amount for all retired educators. Murray, who serves as vice chair of the State Teachers’ Retirement Board, pointed out that an increase to the health insurance subsidy for retired teachers is long overdue, as subsidy amounts were set 26 years ago and have not been raised since, even as health insurance costs have more than doubled. “I encourage you to amend this proposal to raise the subsidy to $220 per month for retired teachers under age 65 to purchase insurance coverage from their former school districts and to $440 per month for retired teachers age 65 and over who do not qualify for Medicare,” he said. In her testimony, Kaplan-Cho shared examples of monthly premium costs, ranging from $983.16 to $1,144.48 for a single retired teacher and $1,968.04 to $2,581.58 for a married teacher and spouse. “While they were actively employed,

LEGISLATIVE CHAMPIONS In addition to being outspoken advocates on the floor of the House and Senate for greater mental health resources, improved indoor air quality, and other assistance for public schools, several legislators have participated in CEA’s What You Don’t See social media campaign, Two T’s in a Pod podcast, and other efforts to rally colleagues’ support for key legislation this session. State Representative Robin Comey, who represents Branford, says, “I’ve seen what it looks like when a district invests in students’ mental health. There’s a dedicated social worker for every grade, a school psychologist, dedicated family liaisons, a team of school counselors in a school-based health center with clinicians who care about our kids. I look forward to a day when all of our school districts have the mental health resources they need, and this is our opportunity to pass legislation to help our students.” Representative Comey lent her voice to CEA’s What You Don’t See campaign and Two T’s in a Pod podcast. State Representative Jonathan Steinberg has been advocating for improvements to ensure all Connecticut schools have healthy, well- ventilated classrooms. Representing Westport, which has had a serious West Hartford teacher Ellen Eickenhorst, shown here with CEA Political Engagement Coordinator Gus Melita, submits postcards asking legislators for more mental health supports and better indoor air quality for students.

these retirees paid a contribution of 1.25 % of their salary into the retired teachers’ health fund fromwhich this subsidy is paid, yet they have not seen an increase in the subsidy since 1996,” Kaplan-Cho said. “Clearly, a 26-year freeze is too long. Even with the doubling of the subsidy, retiree health costs may still be prohibitively expensive, but at least it is a step in the right direction.” In written testimony submitted to legislators, a retired teacher fromRegional School District 15 explained that she

CEA Retirement Specialist Robyn Kaplan-Cho has called for an increase in the health insurance subsidy for retired teachers.

receives no subsidy from her district to help cover medical expenses. “My out-of-pocket expenses for reported medical benefits for 2021 were $11,371.24. This is a true hardship for me, and I am going into a lot of credit card debt to cover my monthly expenses.” Murray and Kaplan-Cho also spoke out in opposition to a proposal that would place the Teachers’ Retirement Board under the Comptroller’s Office for administrative purposes. “Despite being understaffed for many years, the TRB continues to do an excellent job administering the pension and retiree health programs,” Kaplan-Cho said. “In recent years, they have improved their member response times, and revamped and expanded their website to provide increased online services for active and retired teachers, among other important improvements. And their administrative cost per member continues to be one of the lowest in the country.”

Rep. Robin Comey sits down with CEA’s Joslyn DeLancey and Kate Dias to talk about the need for greater investments in our schools.

mold problem in one of its schools, Steinberg understands the health risks facing students and teachers. As chair of the legislature’s Public Health Committee, he has made the issue a top priority and has voiced his support of CEA’s campaign. “The pandemic brought the issue to a whole new level that should be addressed this session,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure that students have a safe learning environment and teachers have a safe teaching environment.” Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, who represents Norwalk and part of Darien, added his voice to the conversation in a recently aired CEA podcast. “It’s a short session, but it’s just going to make us work even harder than we normally do to get things done for people in the state of Connecticut. In the Senate Democratic caucus, we have a number of bills that are really important—they impact teachers and education in a very positive way. I’ve supported building new schools in Norwalk, because we’ve had 40 years of schools that look the same as when I went to school here. That’s not right. They’re not updated, they’re old and tired, and they need to be updated. They’re not proper school environments for kids. There’s a lot of work to do—it’s getting the will to do it.”

$11,371 ONE RETIRED TEACHER’S OUT-OF-POCKET MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR 2021

Get your message to legislators at cea.org/take-action .

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8 CEA ADVISOR APRIL 2022

On November 1, 2019, threeweeks before his birthday, Clinton student Gavin Carlisle was in the thick of a school project when he told his father he was running out for supplies. Later, thetwo planned to work on college applications. As president of his senior class and vice president of the Interact Club, Gavin had much to be proud of and even more to look forward to. That evening, however, he never returned home. The 17-year-old became one of 20 Connecticut children who would die by suicide that year. Chris Carlisle has never stopped grieving for his son or wondering how things might have turned out had there been more mental health supports in place at school. “Nobody knew about Gavin, but if there could have been more help, maybe they could have picked up on something,” Carlisle said in an interviewwith CEA. “The caseloads are too much right now for these therapists and counselors, and they can’t do it all. I wish we had more when Gavin was alive.” Carlisle’s story is part of a broader CEA social media campaign—What You Don’t See—that shines a light on the problem of understaffed schools as well as “sick” buildings— those with poor air circulation, toxic mold, and other hard-to-see problems that impact students’ and teachers’ health and well-being. Personal, often heartbreaking stories illustrate the need for greater resources and supports in schools and legislative action to address these needs. WHAT YOU DON’T SEE

Greater school mental health supports, improved indoor air quality top priorities CEA SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN REVEALS ‘INVISIBLE’ THREATS TO CONNECTICUT STUDENTS

A critical moment The campaign comprises full-length interviews and video clips featuring teachers, parents, students, and school mental health professionals, as well as image ads with powerful messages about what students need. Throughout the legislative session, these videos and other messaging targeted to Connecticut lawmakers have been running on multiple platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. “We are at a critical moment, and our students can’t wait,” says CEA President Kate Dias. “Many Connecticut schools don’t have enough teachers or certified mental

far beyond the immediate and obvious. Children who have mental health support become adults who are productive, successful members of our society.” Triage Students who need trusted mental health professionals to talk to are being waitlisted, says CREC school social worker Jill Soucy. Overwhelmed with emergency risk assessments and de-escalations—often 10 or more walkie-talkie calls in a single day—she says she and many of her colleagues are no longer providing the everyday interactions, connections, and support that students need.

for their younger siblings.” “There are so many students who need support,” says Mansfield school counselor Eileen Melody. “They’re dealing with anxiety, family concerns, homelessness, parents with substance abuse issues, and so much more. It takes time to work with these students, because the issues are so important and very traumatic.” “And yet,” Soucy adds, “we spend so much time putting out fires that we often don’t have time to be proactive or provide meaningful follow-up.” Sick schools In addition to the invisible backpacks so many students carry with them, says CEA’s Dias, the school buildings in which they come to learn often present invisible risks of their own. “Students in schools with HVAC systems that are outdated or not well- maintained face another hidden threat to their well-being: poor indoor air quality,” she explains. “CEA has been tracking and helping its members with reports and remediation of mold, poor ventilation, excessive heat or cold, high levels of humidity, and more, right within their school buildings. The data our teachers have collected and we have been presenting to lawmakers is astonishing.” First-person stories in CEA’s What You Don’t See campaign include the perspectives of students, parents, and educators alike on the issue of school building conditions:

Students are coming in with what we call an invisible backpack.” LYNN NISSENBAUM, NEWMILFORD SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST

Instead, they’re busy putting out fires. “Increasing numbers of students are coming to school with what we call ‘an invisible backpack,’” explains New Milford school psychologist Lynn Nissenbaum, who is part of CEA’s What You Don’t See campaign. ”They’re coming in with anxiety, depression, stress, trauma, homelessness, food insecurity, suicidal ideation, family substance abuse, and so many other problems that existed before the pandemic but have now reached crisis proportions. You would think that our youngest learners don’t really have any problems, but that’s not true.” “There’s yelling, there’s screaming, there’s climbing on bookshelves, there’s cursing, and we’re seeing all of these overt behaviors at the elementary school level,” says Soucy. “Not only that, but we see students sometimes being parentified,” Vernon school psychologist Emma Nissenbaum adds. “When their parents are not capable of parenting, children are having to step in and shield and care

health professionals to meet the growing needs of their students, and until that changes, we risk having more children like Gavin falling through the cracks.” With only one school counselor for every 457 students, one school psychologist for every 548 students, and one school social worker for every 580 students, the average caseloads in Connecticut schools are staggering. “These statistics are alarming, and it’s what our educators are seeing and dealing with every day,” says CEA Vice President Joslyn DeLancey. “The recommended ratios are 250 students per school counselor and school social worker, and 500 students for every school psychologist. We are so far above those recommended

WHAT YOU DON’T SEE...

Chris Carlisle’s son, Gavin, was one of 20 Connecticut children who took their own lives in 2019.

numbers. Mental health is not a luxury item. It is not something we can afford to discount or try to

economize with staff. This is an investment that pays dividends

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that address school air quality issues and brings caseloads for school psychologists, counselors, and social workers to manageable levels so that students get the help they need,” says CEA’s DeLancey, an elementary school teacher. “For our youngest students, we also have to build in more time for play—which is not only critical to their social and emotional well-being but also a primary way they learn. Schools should be safe, healthy learning environments where parents can feel confident sending their children. They should be well-staffed with professionals who have the time to help every child succeed socially, emotionally, and academically— including administrators with considerable and relevant classroom experience.” Proposals to achieve all of those goals are now before Connecticut’s lawmakers, and they have broad bipartisan support. To get over the May 4 finish line, however, when the legislative session ends, many proposals need a push. Talk to your legislators. Share your own stories and perspectives. Ask them to bring these bills up for a vote on the House and Senate floors. Urge them to vote these bills into law. Contact your legislators at cea.org/take-action .

There’s a mental health crisis in our schools.” BLOOMFIELD DEAN OF STUDENTS ANJANEE WRIGHT SPEAKS TO THE ISSUES SHE AND OTHER EDUCATORS AND CERTIFIED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS HAVE BEEN SEEING.

• “There are times when it’s raining, and my science teacher has to put buckets under the ceiling because the roof leaks.” Danbury High School student Will Sweeney • “Sometimes I go to school and come home with a migraine. Some of my classrooms are really hot, and others are really cold.” Danbury Middle School student Cassidy Hammel • “I don’t want to send my daughter to school to be exposed to any air quality issues that will pose a health risk for her. When I send her to school, I need to know she’s in a good, healthy environment.” Vanessa Hammel, parent • “Legislators need to be made aware of the instructional losses happening in our classrooms because of these conditions. Whether classrooms are too cold or excessively hot, it all impacts students’ health and learning.” Stratford teacher and 2011 Connecticut Teacher of the Year Kristen Record “Later this spring, we’ll have classrooms reaching into the triple digits,” says Dias. “We’ll see students going to the nurse’s office or being sent home with headaches, heat exhaustion, and difficulty breathing. On winter days when our classrooms are so cold that students sit in their coats all day, it can be hard to imagine the oppressive heat that awaits us at the end of the school year. But it’s coming. And that needs to end.” Connecticut’s aging school buildings—many of them constructed more than 50 years ago—typically have outdated, poorly maintained, or nonexistent heating, ventilation, and cooling systems. Classrooms often have windows that don’t open. Some have no windows at all. Students and teachers know that by the end of the school year, indoor air temperatures will likely reach a sweltering 85 or 95 degrees. Also problematic is the incidence of mold, dirty air ducts, rodent droppings, and other health hazards making our school communities sick. “Make no mistake—these problems existed before the pandemic,” says Dias. “Today, however, COVID-19 surges and

variants along with climate change patterns give even greater urgency to concerns about air quality and air circulation in schools, where children spend the vast majority of their days.” The high school math teacher adds, “Last spring, my colleagues and I and our students found ourselves in second-floor classrooms with dangerously high temperatures and humidity levels. We were not alone. By early June, any given day was seeing dozens of Connecticut school closures due to oppressive heat. While the rooms in my school were hitting 95 degrees on a regular basis, several were in the triple digits. Some recorded temperatures of 108.” “We want our schools to be places where students feel safe, comfortable, and cared for, but that is simply not the reality,” says CEA

end of every school year, students are hit with a double whammy: learning is next to impossible, and we see a greater incidence of heatstroke, dehydration, migraines, and asthma-related illness. For perspective, Connecticut has laws on the books regulating minimum and maximum temperatures at pet stores—65 to 78 degrees. Remarkably, no such protections exist for children at school.” Connecticut lawmakers have an opportunity to change that, and CEA is urging them to act now. Proposals before the legislature would establish minimum and maximum school temperature and humidity levels for schools and provide bond funding for remediation and installation of modern HVAC systems. Legislative action “With only weeks left of the legislative session, it’s imperative that we pass laws

Executive Director Donald Williams. “With indoor air

temperatures consistently reaching unsafe levels at the beginning and

MARCH 12, 2022

OPINION: NOW IS THE TIME TO IMPROVE AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS

The quality of our educational facilities matters. For better or worse, school environments impact everything from our students’ physical and mental health to their behavior, memory, and academic performance, and how much or how little we invest in them sends a message. What does it say about how we value our students when we send them into buildings with mold in the ceilings, or roofs that leak? What does it say when we expect them to bundle up in coats indoors all winter, or send them home in the heat? What does it say about how children from low-income, minority, or rural families are valued when they are far more likely to

attend underfunded schools? What are the odds of retaining teachers in a district that neglects their work environment? We cannot achieve true health or education equity or excellence when we send children to crumbling, understaffed schools. Bringing school facility standards in line with those we’ve established for pets is a start. Ensuring that they remain the safe, comfortable environment our students deserve will require an ongoing commitment. Our elected officials have an opportunity to make that commitment this legislative session. We urge them to act now. Kate Dias, CEA President

...is that so many students are hurting when you look at them. ...is the anxiety. ...is the stress our children are under. ...is the cyberbullying. ...is the isolation. ...are the kids missing from class because they’ve been hospitalized after trying to hurt themselves. What you don’t see, I see every day. I see all of them. Through powerful video interviews with parents, students, school counselors, social workers, and psychologists, What You Don’t See paints a picture of what legislators need to know about school resources and how they can help. Hear and see their stories and share your own at cea.org/whatyoudontsee .

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