CSA Welcomed by Pols at Annual Retiree Chapter Albany Pilgrimage
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Retiree Chapter Cultural & Educational Program Special Pull-Out Section PAGES 7-14 June 2017 Volume 50, Number 10 American Federation NEWS of School Administrators, COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND ADMINISTRATORS AFL-CIO Local 1 Partnerships CSA Welcomed By Pols At Annual Nonprofit Retiree Chapter Albany Pilgrimage Groups Bring BY CHUCK WILBANKS Holiday Nearly 20 members of the Retiree Chapter journeyed to Albany on May 22 Help to East and 23 for the Chapter’s annual Advocacy Day lobbying. RC political liason Mitra Harlem Kids Lutchman and other CSA personnel assem- bled in teams representing the five bor- BY KATE GIBSON oughs, Rockland County, Westchester and Long Island to discuss key issues with law- isette Caesar, principal makers, walking the halls of legislative office at Mosaic Preparatory buildings and meeting lawmakers outside Academy in East Harlem the floors of the Senate and Assembly. Issues the past nine years, is usu- Lally able to bring the 300-plus included raising the base benefit amount of the cost of living adjustment for retire- children at her school gifts for ment systems to $25,000; increasing the the holidays with the help of amount a public retiree under 65 years of the nonprofit volunteer group age may earn in public employment with- New York Cares. But when the out a reduction in retirement benefits, from paperwork didn’t get done in time to make it a reality this $30,00 to 35,000; and requiring notice to CHUCK WILBANKS year, others came to the rescue, public retirees affected by proposed changes n United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew, CSA Executive Vice President said Ms. Caesar. to a health insurance plan before such Mark Cannizzaro, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña w changes are approved. Finally, and perhaps Miami-based Dibia Dream most importantly, CSA urged lawmakers to student of CSA President Ernest Logan, took as well. As CSA’s advocates were making Foundation along with other publicly oppose holding a constitutional to the floor of that chamber to discuss the their rounds, Sen. Jamaal Bailey from the concerned citizens partnered convention. importance of supporting public educators, Bronx ran into his old principal, CSA’s Ron to collect more than 800 edu- While CSA is a small union, its mem- saying her own successes grew out of sup- Imundi, and remembered him warmly from cational toys, hats, scarfs and bers are treated with warm respect. port by Mr. Logan and others. his days as a student at PS XXXX. Imundi gloves, which were distributed on Assemblewoman Latrice Walker, a former CSA’s roots run deep on the Senate side was also the teacher of Sen. Jeff Klein. Continued on Page 2 2 CSA NEWS June 2017 PRESIDENT’S PAGE I Wish You Council of School Godspeed Supervisors & Administrators American Federation of School Administrators, AFL-CIO, Local 1 As I Retire, CSA is in good Hands By Ernest A. Logan 40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006 Phone: (212) 823-2020 Fax: (212) 962-6130 Dear Brothers and Sisters, city. We have a progressive mayor and www.csa-nyc.org governor, who don’t always do what President uring the ten years I’ve we want, but who fundamentally share Ernest A. Logan served as your president, I’ve our beliefs. We’re lucky. But keep your Executive Vice President Mark Cannizzaro felt as if every one of you eyes open. Look over your shoulder. First Vice President marched with me day after Keep your elected officials on their Henry Rubio day to create better schools toes. Stay connected to your union. Treasurer for our children and better lives for our- There is nothing alarmist about Christopher Ogno D Secretary selves. The moment has come for me to reacting to a federal budget proposal Sandy DiTrapani move on and give more time to the social that calls for a $10.6 billion cut to pub- Vice Presidents justice issues I care so much about. But lic education and the reinvestment of Debra Handler Lois Lee first, I want to thank you for inspiring me much of it in “school choice,” a wind- Ronald Williams along my journey and let you know that fall for private and parochial schools. Nancy Russo, Retiree Chapter I leave your union in the most capable In NYS alone, public education stands Executive Director Operations hands. to lose $433 million, which would Erminia Claudio I’m leaving with tremendous confi- mean savage cuts. There is nothing General Counsel David Grandwetter dence that the new leadership team has alarmist about saying that protec- wisdom, skill and heart. CSA’s incoming president Mark tions for teachers and administrators are on the line Executive Director Field Services Cannizzaro is a gutsy young leader and a negotiator bar as the conservative Supreme Court decides on Janus v. Sana Q. Nasser none. In the last negotiations, he put together a team of AFSCME. That decision could exempt employees from Field Directors fighters, plunged into long deliberations and never got Juanita Bass, Mildred Boyce, James Harrigan, Christine Martin, scared, never got tired and never gave up. The contract he Daisy O’Gorman, Mercedes Qualls delivered was as good as they get. My brother Mark is as ‘Millions like me became who they Assistant Field Directors tough and principled as any union leader I’ve ever known. Eleanor Andrew, Mauro Bressi, are thanks to public school. Our Laverne Burrowes, Kenneth Llinas This is the time to tell you why I became a unionist Charles Dluzniewski, Nancy Esposito, fighting for public schools and educators like you. It will Aura Gangemi, Ellie Greenberg, education system is the envy of the Ray Gregory, Robert Jeanette, help you understand why I believe you will fight on with- Kate Leonard, Monica McDonald, out me. There are so many children who nearly slide off world. Let’s not blow it.’ Dorothy Morris, Frank Patterson, Ralph Santiago, Shelli Sklar, Wanda Soto, the rails, but who get back on course because of their pub- MaryAnn Tucker, George Young lic schools and people like you. I was one of those children. paying dues to unions and undermine your future • • • Grievance Director raises, healthcare and retirement benefits. Robert J. Reich Assistant Directors y journey started when I was 8, the eleventh That isn’t the worst part. The worst part is the degrad- Carol Atkins, Alex Castillo, Ed. D of 13 children, being raised in a God-fearing ing rhetoric coming from the highest levels of govern- Robert Colon, Jermaine Garden, Dale Kelly home by my father who worked on the New ment portraying public schools as “dead ends” and “fail- Marlene Lazar, Ph.D, Steve Rosen M Director of Communications York Central Railroad, and my mother, who stayed ing,” and the whole public school system as “bankrupt Clem Richardson home to look after us. When my father suddenly died, I and helpless.” This is the kind of trash talk that demon- Assistant Director of Communications was lost and anything could have happened to me. But izes you and your teachers as incompetent, unintelligent Corey Bachman there was Rose Alpert, my fourth-grade teacher at PS and lazy. This is the kind of attack that cheapens not Director of Political Affairs xxx in East New York, who felt my pain. She knew that only our profession, but the soul of our entire nation. Herman Merritt Assistant Director of Political Affairs if she got me to write about my memories of my father, My advice to you is: Engage with your government and Gabe Gallucci I would heal. She was right and she would stand by me your union. Say “Enough, no more with the schemes and Assistant Director until March 4, 2011, the day she left this world. shams to funnel money away from the kids who need it John Khani At Franklin K. Lane High School in Bushwick, at most.” You can’t lay back and let someone else campaign Special Assistant to President Gary Goldstein another vulnerable period in my life, I met Ralph Musco, for the next City Council members and state legislators. CSA Conference Chair Ben Rosenzweig and Stuart Margolies. My mother saw You can’t depend on others to get involved with the Pierre Lehmuller me from a bus window one afternoon and wondered union’s political PAC or become a union rep. Now, you CSA Historian what I was doing on the street. She marched me over to must take charge. You must be the citizen activist. And you Manfred Korman school and the offices of these three deans. They steered must be the union. CSA Retiree Chapter Gayle Lockett, Chair me back onto the straight and narrow. Without them, • • • Mark Brodsky, Director I might not have found my way to SUNY Cortland and later CUNY’s Baruch College. Two more public institu- ’ve loved every minute at CSA, including the Labor tions. Those are game changers for kids like me. Day Parades, picnics and ball games. But even more, CSA NEWS Since then, I’ve been the best teacher, assistant prin- II’ve loved the fight, the passion I feel trying to get it Editor Chuck Wilbanks cipal and principal I knew how. I’ve been the best union right for our children. Our country is great because we Associate Editor Kate Gibson Design Consultant Michele Pacheco leader I could. You’ve made it easy. I’ve been in your have had the greatest system of public education in the Production Assistant Christine Altman hallways and classrooms covered in art work and seen world from K through 12 all the way to our city and state your showcases full of trophies.