Dec-20-Jan-21-Advisor

REPRESENTING

DECEMBER 2020 - JANUARY 2021 CEA ADVISOR 5

A NEW DAY FOR TEACHERS In one of the most anticipated elections in U.S. history, teachers came out in force to support President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris,

Our Nation’s New First Lady: Longtime Teacher, Proud NEA Member

psychologists, counselors, nurses, and social workers in our nation’s schools • increase the number of students in community schools that offer a range of services to children and families beyond classroom instruction • fully fund special education • ensure access to high-quality preschool Vice President-elect Harris, for her part, has proposed closing what she calls the “teacher pay gap”—the difference between a teacher’s salary and that of professionals with comparable degrees and experience in other fields. Speaking at the NEA Representative Assembly this past summer, Biden called teaching “the most important profession in the United States,” telling NEA members, “You are the ones that give these kids wings. You give them confidence. You let them believe in themselves. You equip them. And I promise you, you will never find in American history a president who is more teacher-centric and more supportive of teachers than me.” Bye-bye, Betsy Biden has pledged to replace Michigan billionaire Betsy DeVos, the current secretary of education who infamously referred to public schools as a “dead end,” with a teacher. His pick will be instrumental in rolling back DeVos’s agenda of pushing school

On Inauguration Day, January 20, educators will have a colleague in the White House, as Dr. Jill Biden steps into her role as first lady. She will be part of a very small group of union members who have held the title. A former high school teacher, current community college instructor, and longtime NEA member, Dr. Biden has undoubtedly helped shape her husband’s perspective on education and the work of educators.

widely seen as strong advocates for teachers, public education, social justice, and—with our nation in the grip of a pandemic—prioritizing public health and safety. “We are celebrating the historic election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris—the partners that we and our students need in the White House,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “This was a critical win for all Americans, and certainly for our nation’s public education system.” Biden’s pro-teacher, pro-public- education platform includes proposals to • dramatically increase federal funds for schools, including tripling Title I funds for schools serving large numbers of low- income students • invest more in teacher mentoring, leadership, and professional development, including helping teachers earn additional certification in high-demand areas such as special education and bilingual education • reduce teachers’ college loan obligations • double the number of

“I am Jill’s husband,” President-elect Biden said in his acceptance speech. “I would not be here without her love and tireless support. Jill is an educator and has dedicated her life to education, but teaching is not what she does—it’s who she is.” As far back as 2010, Jill Biden welcomed the National Teachers of the Year to the vice president’s residence and ensured that her husband was present to greet them. “Dr. B,” as her students refer to her, plans to continue teaching English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College when she moves into the White House in January. She will be the first president’s spouse to continue her professional career as first lady, after becoming the first second lady to do so. Among her many priorities will be new plans to address food insecurity created by the pandemic as well as unequal access to technology and broadband for students.

Cabinet selection will take some time, potential picks include NEA Immediate Past President Lily Eskelsen García, Congresswoman Jahana Hayes, and longtime AFT President Randi Weingarten. Educators instrumental in election victory Biden and Harris received the largest number of votes of any presidential ticket, and teachers across the country played a major role in that victory. In Connecticut alone, CEA members volunteered hours of their time calling thousands of their NEA colleagues in swing states such as Nevada and Wisconsin and urging them to vote. Biden won both of those states, as well as other key battlegrounds. “In 2021, we will have leaders in the White House who respect teachers and are serious about supporting them, their students, and returned to their classrooms, oftentimes with little assurance for their personal safety. It is time we make investments to protect educators from the massive job losses we are almost certain to experience as a result of this crisis. Teachers are essential to our society, and protecting them should be non- negotiable.” Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hayes has been fighting for increased resources for K-12

their schools,” says Leake. “They are committed to investing in public education, crafting education policy shaped by teachers, ensuring educational equity and eliminating school funding gaps so that every student can succeed, fighting for racial and social justice, working with scientists and doctors to guide public health decisions, and listening to educators about how best to support our students during this challenging time.” Biden, who has pledged to restore “the soul of America,” addressed teachers specifically in his acceptance speech. “For American educators, this is a great day for you all,” he said. “You are going to have one of your own in the White House.” Biden’s wife, Jill, is a longtime educator and NEA member. (See story, this page.) schools to ensure that students and teachers are safe, including the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included $13.5 billion in funding to support online learning, purchase computers and Internet access, support educational and related services for children with disabilities, provide mental health services, and sanitize school buildings. The CARES Act brought back millions of dollars for schools in Connecticut. In June, Hayes led 111 of her colleagues in sending a letter to Congressional leadership strongly urging the inclusion of at least $305 billion in K-12 education stabilization funding, noting, “States are experiencing, and will continue to experience, increased healthcare and unemployment-related costs that will further put pressure on state education funding. Without federal support, the fallout from state budgets will have drastic consequences for education, particularly students’ access to teachers.” Indeed, Congress will need to come together to pass a much- needed, long-overdue COVID relief package. The 117th United States Congress is scheduled to begin meeting in Washington, D.C., on January 3, 2021.

vouchers and for- profit education and in guiding education policy for the upcoming administration. While Biden’s

President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris

Connecticut’s Pro-Education Congressional Delegation Re-Elected

All five of Connecticut’s incumbent Congressional delegates earned the endorsement of CEA and NEA, and this November, Connecticut voters re-elected them. Returning to Congress to represent our state are Representatives John Larson (1st District), Joe Courtney (2nd District), Rosa DeLauro (3rd District), Jim Himes (4th District), and one of CEA’s own, former Waterbury teacher and National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes (5th District). “These five lawmakers have consistently listened to teachers’ concerns and effectively advocated for students and teachers,” says CEA President Jeff Leake. “They understand the issues facing educators and are deeply committed to working on our behalf for legislation that strengthens our public schools. We are thrilled that they are all returning for another term in Congress.” This fall, Congresswoman Hayes introduced the Save Education Jobs Act of 2020, legislation to save nearly four million education jobs, spur economic growth in the midst of an economic crisis, and help mitigate the impacts of student learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “As a member of Congress with

extensive classroom experience,” says Hayes, “I have seen firsthand how state and local budget cuts can decimate education funding. These cuts result in slashing essential programming, halting critical school construction, and devastating cuts to the educator workforce. We have lauded our teachers as heroes during these unprecedented times, as they have switched to virtual and hybrid learning to keep students safe during a global pandemic and have recently

EPSLA, EFMLA set to expire Emergency paid sick leave and family/medical leave benefits under EPSLA and EFMLA are set to expire on December 31 unless the federal government acts to extend those protections and provide a new COVID relief package. All members of Connecticut’s Congressional Delegation are in favor of doing so, and NEA is working with other state education associations to bring their U.S. senators and representatives on board. In a letter to all members of Congress, NEA has asked senators and representatives to • Approve at least $175 billion for the Education Stabilization Fund to distribute to states for public pre-K through post-secondary education to fill budget gaps caused by declining state revenues, pointing out that a safe return to in-person learning means schools must adapt facilities for social distancing, provide PPE for students and educators, and adjust staffing and schedule patterns • Bridge the digital divide and homework gap by helping schools procure and distribute Wi-Fi hotspots, connected devices, and other technology for the 16 million K-12 students who lack Internet access at home • Provide funding for PPE for students, teachers, faculty, education support professionals, and other staff who interact with students and their families