Feb-March Advisor 2020 Online

2 CEA ADVISOR FEBRUARY–MARCH 2020

LEADING

Conviction is the path to success; persistence is the vehicle.

This oft-quoted truism has perhaps never been more relevant than now, a time when Connecticut teachers— after months, or even years, of advocacy—are seeing many hard-fought battles won and the work of thousands of their colleagues come to fruition. In 2019, we saw a shoring

between CEA attorneys and members and DCF Commissioner Vannessa Dorantes set these changes in motion and will be instrumental in the progress we make in the future. Teachers’ voices were again amplified when CEA partnered with AFT Connecticut and WFSB Channel 3 on a survey that examines educators’ take on everything from high- stakes testing to kindergarten start age. Our members responded in large numbers, detailing their experiences and concerns, and several spoke to reporters about the toll that increased trauma, intense academic pressure, and other conditions are having on students—in particular, our youngest learners. (See story, page 6.) Those issues are part of CEA’s legislative agenda this year, and we will need the same collective energy and persistence that helped teachers secure so many of our recent

Leading: Our Perspective

Jeff Leake, CEA President

up of teachers’ retirement security—something CEA leaders and members pushed for not only in the last year but over several legislative cycles. In recent weeks, a long-standing plan to levy a 40-percent federal excise tax on teachers’ health care plans, which CEA vigorously challenged for many years, was finally scrapped. The repeal of the so- called “Cadillac tax” on teachers’ health plans—a victory many years in the making—would not have been possible without determined CEA leaders and Congressional ally Joe Courtney, who worked tirelessly to overturn the unfair tax. (See story on page 7.) At press time, Connecticut’s Department of Children and

Tom Nicholas, CEA Vice President

victories in order to take more of our goals across the finish line. 2020 provides a fresh opportunity to keep the momentum going. We ask you to stay informed and engaged, and we have provided the tools and resources that make it possible. (See page 16.) Watch for CEA Action Alerts. Reach out to the lawmakers who represent you, as well as your colleagues. Encourage them to step up and join you. Lawmakers have often said that what turned them in favor of a bill or against it is

Recent victories illustrate what CEA Stronger Together looks like. Let’s carry that strength into this legislative session, the next election cycle, and beyond.

Families is putting into place key changes that CEA’s legal team and members long sought to protect students and teachers. (See page 7.) These and other victories have come about as a result of thousands of conversations, phone calls, rallies, public hearings, forums, emails, social media posts, and more, from teachers in every corner of the state. They have come as a result of educators demanding a place at the table where decisions regarding their profession, their future, and education policy are made.

Donald E. Williams Jr. CEA Executive Director

CEA GOVERNANCE Jeff Leake • President Tom Nicholas • Vice President

hearing from the very teachers who support or oppose it. From personal stories to thousands of emails, it’s teachers’ voices that have made the difference. No time to stop To ensure our voices are heard, we will need to continue electing candidates who listen and share our concerns. In November and in the run-up to Election Day, we must look at who supports public schools and throw our collective weight behind those men and women. NEA’s Strong Public Schools 2020 campaign examines the positions and actions of presidential hopefuls so that teachers can make informed decisions that reshape the political landscape and deliver victories for public education. (See story, page 4.) 2020 is our chance to replace individuals at the highest levels of government who are hostile to public education, such as Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, whose policies would privatize schools, reduce the number of teachers, expand class size, and erode our nation’s public education system. 2020 also presents an opportunity to revisit and redouble our efforts at the state legislature to enhance classroom safety, provide meaningful interventions for students in crisis, promote social- emotional learning, and ensure that our schools are healthy environments where we can teach and where our students can learn. (See story on page 4.) With Connecticut’s General Assembly in session from now until May 6, CEA leaders and staff are working long hours to advance these and other legislative priorities over the coming months. To succeed, we will need strong member involvement. Recent victories illustrate what CEA Stronger Together looks like. Let’s carry that strength into this legislative session, the next election cycle, and beyond. February 13, 2020

Stephanie Wanzer • Secretary David Jedidian • Treasurer

John Horrigan • NEA Director Tara Flaherty • NEA Director

Importantly, they have also come as a direct result of canvassing, phonebanking, and electing officials who are eager to listen to teachers’ perspectives and represent us in Congress, at the Capitol, and at state agencies. Blazing new trails Some of our newest state officials include Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, who has prioritized recruiting more educators of color—a major CEA initiative—so that all of Connecticut’s students see themselves reflected in their teachers. Teachers have enthusiastically joined CEA’s latest campaign, Teaching Is Calling You, to bring greater diversity to the profession to ensure that it better reflects our student population. (See pages 8-9.) Participants in the campaign include 2020 and 2019 Teachers of the Year Meghan Hatch-Geary and Sheena Graham as well as new and veteran educators representing a range of grade levels, subjects, and school demographics. Diversifying our teaching force will be both a grassroots movement and a top CEA objective at the state legislature and state agencies over the long term. CEA is proud to be the first organization in the state to back that effort with funding, thanks to a grant from NEA. We hope you will keep your eyes and ears open for our public awareness campaign, which will feature messaging and interviews on our website and others in February, air on television and radio in March and April, and generate much-needed conversations and change in the months to come. Open and ongoing dialogue has also been crucial to instituting structural and procedural improvements at DCF. One change makes it easier for teachers, as mandated reporters, to protect students. Another introduces consistency and timeliness in the way that investigations of teachers are handled. Conversations

CEA ADVISOR STAFF Nancy Andrews • Communications Director Lesia Winiarskyj • Managing Editor Sandra Cassineri • Graphic Designer Laurel Killough • New Media Coordinator Eric Ahrens • Web Designer and Developer Fenruary–March 2020 Volume 62, 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 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: 2-18-2020