Dec 19-Jan 20 Advisor

DECEMBER 2019 – JANUARY 2020 CEA ADVISOR 19

NEW LAW PROTECTS EDUCATORS’ SPEECH IN PPT MEETINGS In an effort to encourage school

LESSON PLANS ON EQUITY, BIAS, AND DIVERSITY The Anti-Defamation League(ADL) has created a collection of K-12 curricula including timely lesson plans and multi- grade units that promote critical thinking and assist educators in teaching current events topics through the lens of diversity, bias, and social justice. Go to adl.org , click Education, then Lesson Plans. Lewis and Clark: The Unheard Voices (All grade levels)

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from referring students to special education. • 38 percent of school staff say there are pre-PPT meetings where they are coached regarding what they can/cannot say. • 33 percent of school staff say they are concerned that, if they make recommendations in a PPT that were not pre-authorized by an administrator, they could be fired. • 34 percent of school staff say they were given training regarding what to say/what not to say to parents. These results only underscore the need for all staff attending PPT meetings to feel comfortable that if they do make any recommendations for supports or services, they will not be faced with an adverse action. Consequently, the new law is long overdue and reaffirms a basic right of school staff and parents to a free, honest, and open discussion at a PPT meeting. It is now imperative that all staff are made aware of this new protection. To that end, SEEK and CEA have sent a request to the Commissioner of Education that the State Department of Education publicize this provision by requiring the distribution of the statutory language at all PPT meetings moving forward. This would ensure that everyone at the PPT table would be aware of the expectation that they speak candidly about the child who is the subject of the PPT meeting, and would remind administrators that they lack the right to direct what teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service personnel may say at such a meeting. Further, in light of the fact that the Bureau of Special Education is in the process of issuing a new IEP form, SEEK and CEA have requested that this statutory language be included in the new IEP to provide appropriate notice of the law to all PPT participants. This legislation should allow PPT meetings to serve their intended purpose of providing an open forum for all team members to share their recommendations so as to ensure that students receive appropriate services and programming.

staff to be active and vocal participants in planning and placement team (PPT) meetings without fear of reprisal, the Connecticut legislature passed a new law that specifically protects school employees from any form of retaliation. Public Act 19-184 provides that “No local or regional board of education shall discipline, suspend, terminate, or otherwise punish any member of a planning and placement team employed by such board who discusses or makes recommendations concerning the provision of special education and related services for a child during a planning and placement team meeting for such child.” This new law was promoted by Special Education Equity for Kids of Connecticut (SEEK), an organization comprised of parents, advocates, providers, and attorneys, and supported by CEA. It recognizes that staff play an integral role in the development of IEPs for students and they therefore should be encouraged to freely express their professional opinions at all PPT meetings. Unfortunately, the reality has been that many teachers are told not to recommend any supports or services, especially those that will result in a cost to the district. In fact, in February of 2019, SEEK conducted two surveys (one for parents and one for school staff) on this issue, and the results from the staff survey were disturbing but not surprising. • 72 percent of school staff say they are unable to make recommendations in a PPT that were not pre-authorized by an administrator. • 65 percent of school staff say they are likely to be reprimanded or punished if they openly speak with parents about what their child needs related to special education. • 48 percent say that supervisors discourage them from speaking openly with parents regarding their child’s needs related to special education. • 35 percent of school staff say administrators discourage them

LGBTQ rights and activism throughout U.S. history. What Is Algorithmic Bias? (High school)

This multi-grade unit takes an in- depth look at the history of U.S. expansion and Indian policy and presents the voices and perspectives of Native Americans on the Lewis and Clark expedition. On-Screen Diversity: Why Visibility in Media Matters (Elementary and middle school) Our country is becoming increasingly diverse. Help students consider the importance of representation and visibility in entertainment as they examine the movies and television shows they watch for a portrayal of diversity in characters. Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples Day? (High school) Should we change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day? Students reflect on primary source material to gain insight into why some cities and states have changed the holiday’s name and consider their own points of view. The Stonewall Uprising (High school) Teach high school students about the Stonewall uprising and reflect on

Algorithms are part of our daily lives. Explore with high school students the meaning of “algorithmic bias” and the difference between someone’s actual and perceived identity through a social media analysis. Identity and Diversity in My Generation (High school) Gen Z is the most racially diverse generation in U.S. history. High school students review and analyze racial diversity through census data, self-portraits, and the pictures and words of others. Representing the People: Diversity and Elections (Middle and high school) This lesson plan helps students in grades 8-12 explore and understand the current landscape of elected officials and presidential hopefuls and how the 2018 midterm election broke records and barriers regarding diversity.

HCR WORKSHOPS

Human and Civil Rights workshops are offered to CEA members free of charge. If you are interested in having your local association host one of these two-hour workshops presented by CEA’s Robyn Kaplan-Cho, contact your local association president or CEA UniServ representative for more information. Knowledge Is the Best Protection: Preventing and Responding to Aggressive Student Behavior As the demands to address all of a student’s academic and emotional needs have increased, it is vitally important that all teachers are informed of their legal rights and duties related to aggressive student behavior. In this timely workshop, you will learn: • What preventive actions you should take to protect yourself and your students before an incident occurs. • What procedures you can and should take in the event you are assaulted by a student. • Why it’s important to report any assaults or threats of assaults to your principal—and the reporting requirements for principals if there is an assault. • What your Association can do to help you take whatever steps are appropriate to protect your rights as an employee, including measures to provide a safer workplace for everyone in the building. • What safety provisions can be negotiated in your collective bargaining agreement related to aggressive student behavior. This workshop focuses on the laws of special education with a particular emphasis on regular and special education teachers’ rights and responsibilities when participating in the special education process. Participants will learn what the law requires of them as well as what they can and cannot do in such areas as PPT meetings, drafting IEPs, and accommodating students in the regular education environment. The impact of special education laws on teachers’ working conditions will be integrated throughout the workshop. Section 504: An Emerging Issue for Educators Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is receiving increased attention in schools, and many more teachers are working daily with 504 students than ever before. This workshop will • Provide an overview of the civil rights law, including the 2008 changes • Review its procedural requirements (with an emphasis on the eligibility process) and relationship to the IDEA • Examine its applicability to such issues as ADHD, field trips, and allergies Mythbusters: Understanding Your Legal Rights and Responsibilities in the Special Education Process

African American, Black, Puerto Rican, and Latino Studies Added to State Curriculum The Connecticut General Assembly recently passed legislation that requires all school districts to include African American and black studies and Puerto Rican and Latino studies in their curriculum beginning with the 2021-2022 school year. Public Act 19-12 also directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to make curriculum materials available to districts as they begin developing their instructional programs. Moreover, the law also requires the SBE to review and approve a black and Latino studies one-credit high school course that will be developed by the State Education Resource Center (SERC). For the 2021-2022 school year, the act allows any district to offer the course in grades 9 to 12. For the 2022- 2023 school year, the act requires each district to offer the course in grades 9 to 12. Finally, for the school years 2022-2023 to 2024-2025, the State Department of Education must conduct an annual audit to ensure that this black and Latino studies course is being offered by each school district and must provide a report on the audit to the legislature’s Education Committee annually.