Feb-Mar 2021 Advisor

2 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2021

LEADING

Leading: Our Perspective

While 2021 promises to be a better year than 2020, the pandemic is still very much with us and continues to alter our lives. Despite brief glimpses of normalcy, much work still needs to be done to keep our schools safe and our students learning—and educator voices must direct the conversations that determine how our schools

be needed to move all students forward, and that the circumstances causing student trauma and disruptive behaviors in classrooms before the pandemic have not lessened but have, in fact, increased. We must be prepared with the social emotional supports our students will require. (See story on page 16). The Biden administration is already working hard to ensure that nominee for U.S. Secretary of Education, Connecticut’s own Miguel Cardona, who—unlike Betsy DeVos—is a product of public education and has actual education experience, we can expect a greater understanding of and commitment to the needs of our students and public education. (See story on page 11.) In Connecticut, with the legislature in session and doing its business virtually, now is the time to speak up for the resources you and your students so desperately need. Many members have had back-home meetings with legislators to tell their stories. Please keep up that important work. CEA is advocating for changes in many areas and focusing on bills that would address student trauma, unsafe classroom disruptions,

A Hard-Fought Victory, But Our Work Continues

Jeff Leake, CEA President

need to change. One thing we know for certain is this: We are stronger when we all work together. We are so proud of all our members for standing up for their students and their colleagues. Because of your emails, ongoing CEA advocacy, and the CEA awareness campaign featuring five Connecticut Teachers

some of these crucial resources will be funded by the federal government, and our congressional delegation has promised to support efforts to bring more funding to our schools. (See story, page 10.) And with a

of the Year, CEA’s efforts to prioritize educators for vaccinations and establish district- based vaccination centers have been successful. Starting on March 1, educators begin receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, which will go a long way toward

Tom Nicholas, CEA Vice President

protecting school communities and preventing further

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

disruptions to learning. Your actions and CEA’s continued meetings with the governor and other state officials resonated. Governor Lamont heard

CEA GOVERNANCE Jeff Leake • President Tom Nicholas • Vice President

our concerns, listened to the science, and decided that to keep schools open and safe for everyone, the best course of action is to vaccinate educators in March. Read more about the plan and the district- based vaccination centers on pages 8-9. Besides prioritizing educators for the vaccine, CEA has been working with the governor and state officials on a number of other important issues that impact educators. CEA has joined other members of a coalition of education unions, amplifying our voice and advocating for what is right for public education. Together, the coalition was successful in restoring paid quarantine leave for all public school employees. Thousands of educators returned postcards, made phone calls, and emailed legislators asking them to help our effort, joining CEA to restore these critical benefits. Our success once again highlights the strength of teachers’ voices. (See story on page 5.) CEA has also joined Recovery for All, a coalition of community, faith, and labor organizations committed to reducing income inequality and ensuring that Connecticut’s economic recovery is shared by all. We are grateful to the many educators who attended the Recovery for All car caravan urging the governor to focus on a state budget that reduces income inequality and ensures a bright future for all Connecticut residents. (See story on page 4.) Connecticut is one of the wealthiest states in the union, and we must not allow the status quo of inequity to continue, but instead stand against those who are ready to simply return to education in a pre- pandemic world. The past year has taken a toll on all of us, but especially on our students. We must emphasize that additional resources will

social emotional learning, indoor air quality, school funding, and teachers’ rights. The pandemic has uncovered serious challenges that are being addressed in the Pandemic and Public Health Emergency Safety bill that would establish safety, consistency, and transparency measures for any public health emergencies in our schools so that we can continue to have safe teaching and learning environments. (See story on page 6.) Over the remainder of this school year, we must carefully chart our course for the return of full in- person education. With school staff receiving vaccinations this month, we expect schools will remain open, and the long journey back to post- COVID-19 classrooms will begin, with instruction and supports that are different from the classrooms and instruction of January 2020. Educators on CEA’s Commission on Instruction and Professional Development have taken on the task of examining educators’ opinions regarding what that return should look like and will share their findings with us to help establish best practices in our schools. We know for certain that asking educators to simultaneously meet the instructional needs of students who are in their classrooms and another group of students learning virtually from home is not sustainable. And we most certainly know that we must resist all efforts to test our way out of this pandemic and must determine how to meet our students where they are, academically and emotionally. They will need our understanding, our caring, and our advocacy now more than ever. February 23, 2021

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 Sandra Cassineri • Graphic Designer Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer February–March 2021 Volume 63, Number 4 Published by Connecticut Education Association 1-800-842-4316 • 860-525-5641 cea.org CEA Advisor The CEA Advisor is mailed to all CEA members. Annual subscription price is $5.72 (included in membership dues and available only as part of membership). Institutional subscription price: $25.00. Advertising in the CEA Advisor is screened, but the publishing of any advertisement does not imply CEA endorsement of the product, service, or views expressed. CEA Advisor USPS 0129-220 (ISSN 0007-8050) is published in August (regular and special editions), October/November, December/January, February/ March, April (regular and special editions), May/June, and summer by the Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street, Hartford, CT 06106-8001, 860-525-5641. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, Connecticut. Postmaster: Send address changes to CEA Advisor , Connecticut Education Association, Capitol Place, Suite 500, 21 Oak Street,

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