Support Report

For paraprofessional & school related personnel members of AFT Fall 2014

A stark contrast Backpacks for Back to School between candidates Jennifer Lappe, a Special Education paraprofessional at on educational issues Metcalf Elementary in Cy-Fair ISD, hands out a new back- November is your chance to elect pack to a student at an August friends of public education 23 back-to-school rally.

Candidates for The rally, co-sponsored by Cy-Fair AFT, featured Wendy the top two Davis, candidate for governor. statewide elected See page 3 for more photos. offices provide a stark contrast in their proposals Workplace bullying policy approved for how best to and educate Texans. in after local union push

Texas AFT’s endorsees—Demo- A lengthy campaign by Houston The final language was added to the cratic state senators Wendy Davis (for Educational Support Personnel district’s policies on standards of con- governor) and Leticia Van de Putte (HESP) yielded what’s believed to be duct and employee welfare, and the (for lieutenant governor)—have long the state’s first policy against work- process for addressing violations will championed public education by place bullying in a school district, follow the existing harassment policy. fighting cuts in funding, advocating after the Houston ISD School Board the restoration of funding, promot- unanimously approved the policy in HISD’s representative from the Hu- August. man Resources Department ex- ing universal pre-K and reining in the pressed pride at passing the policy, misuse of standardized testing. Their HESP President Wretha Thomas noting that HISD is a “trailblazer” in opponents have a long record of op- and her team in the AFT Leadership this arena. position to that agenda. Education and Development (LEAD) program held town hall meetings on Houston ISD employees now will be For a more detailed look at where the the issue, distributed member surveys better equipped to handle problems candidates stand on the issues, along to assess the extent of workplace with their bosses and coworkers. with key election dates, see page 4. bullying, and took their proposal through the consultation process. See “Election” on page 4 See “Workplace” on page 3 Inside... The lieutenant • Your opportunity to decide who will governor race For a Spanish version of this report, fight for you, p. 2 pits Sen. Leticia Van de Putte contact your local office or Texas AFT • Review of governor candidates’ posi- against Sen. Dan at 800-222-3827. Para recibir una tions on education and school employee Patrick , p 5 copia de éste reporte en español, favor issues, p. 4 de llamar a la oficina de su sindicato • Important election dates, p. 5 local, o Texas AFT a 800-222-3827.

1 Your opportunity to decide who’s going to fight for you In my column and in my conversa- do believe that Texas the nation’s leader in educa- tions with fellow union members, I you’ll see a stark tion, but he continues to defend the have reported to you year after year difference in the indefensible—a school finance lawsuit about our school funding cuts and two camps’ view by 600 districts over the $5.4 billion jobs that have been lost and out- on education. in public education cuts in 2011. A sourced to private companies because (See page 4 for a recent ruling by District Judge John school boards think they can save comparison). Dietz went against the state in the money. And I have recounted how lawsuit, but Abbott plans to appeal jobs are lost to attrition because dis- In the governor’s Rachel Martinez that decision. trict administrators were asked to cut race, there is no Texas AFT PSRP Committee Chair costs in their departments by up to 20 question in my Set the example for your families, co- percent. mind that Sena- workers and communities by educat- tor Davis will have all our support in ing yourself about the issues, register- We have shared each other’s pain on November, as she and Van de Putte ing to vote (if you haven’t done so poor working conditions and times have been endorsed officially by Texas already) and taking a stand for true when we’ve been overwhelmed trying AFT. friends of public education. to do the job of two or three people. Davis’s ideas for education are all Please do not let another opportunity Now it’s time to have the most im- about what we live and work for as go by to help decide the future of our portant conversation. Brothers and school employees. For example, she state; take your civic responsibility se- Sisters, it’s time we take a stand and proposes having a stronger pipeline riously. Your vote does matter, and it make our voices and vote count. for teaching excellence by hiring more does count. As support professionals I worked the registration table at our new teachers and increasing educator we are the support to the system, we annual Central Labor pay. (Please note: Increasing teach- are the pillars of the communities we Council’s Labor Day Breakfast, and I ers’ pay at the state level leaves more live and work in, and we are looked also had the opportunity to hear two funding in the local school district up to and respected when we fight for great women speak—Sen. Wendy budgets to adequately fund support our rights and work together. Davis (candidate for governor) and personnel jobs and cover the cost of a Sen. Leticia Van De Putte (candidate living wage.) And just as Davis fought Quoting Wendy Davis, from the La- for lieutenant governor). Let me tell to stop funding cuts in 2011 and bor Day breakfast: “On Election Day you, was I pumped up! restore a good portion of the cuts in ask yourself, who’s going to fight for 2013, she can be counted on to fight me and my family.” In response I say If you have not had the chance, please for adequate and equitable funding to you, Wendy will, she will fight for review the amazing agendas for Texas for our schools. me and my family. children and education on both these great leaders’ Web sites. And if you Her opponent, Attorney General Greg So, let’s get out the vote, and let’s view their opponents’ positions, I Abbott, talks about wanting to make fight too. Support Report

Linda Bridges, President There are hundreds of thousands of paraprofessionals and Rachel Martinez, Chair support personnel across the great state of Texas. They share a Texas AFT PSRP Committee pride in their work and our schools, but their students are always Julie Bowman first in their minds and hearts. and Rob D’Amico, Editors

Find out more about PSRPs and the vital role they play on the Texas AFT 3000 S. IH-35, Ste. 175 school team by downloading Texas AFT’s brochure, “We Make Austin, Texas 78704 Schools Work,” at www.texasaft.org > News > Publications & 1-800-222-3827 Reports. (Printed copies also are available. To order, www.texasaft.org call 800-222-3827.)

2 Workplace From page 1

school board members to get a work- place bullying policy in place,” said Texas AFT President Linda Bridges. “Our intent is for other local unions and school districts across the state to follow in their footsteps and create a better working environment—and thus a better learning environment for Additionally, the union has requested training for employ- Wretha Thomas ees on the policy. students.”

HESP’s efforts also were intended to spur changes statewide HESP President Wretha Thomas noted that the policy is with the adoption of workplace bullying policies in other another example of successful collaboration between unions districts across the state. and school districts. “We responded to a problem, did our homework, involved our members and then worked with “HESP has done a tremendous job of gathering research, district officials to set some clear expectations for workplace taking employee feedback and garnering support with behavior,” she said. “This is a win-win for everyone.”

Back to School means backpacks! Above, Nikki Cowart, president of Cy-Fair AFT, presents a new backpack to a child at the August 23 back-to-school rally co-sponsored by the union. Pictured top right distributing backpacks is Donnie Riggs from Alief AFT. At right, handing out T-shirts are Pamela Davis-Duck Ben Brinkman of Cy-Fair AFT.

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Want to receive instant notice when there’s an Action Alert on issues that affect you as school employees? Need quick access to the Legislative Hot- line, Texas Teacher, PSRP Report and breaking news? Download the Texas AFT app for iPhones, iPads and Droid devices at iTunes or Google Play.

3 ELECTION 2014 The Race for Governor Davis Agenda Abbott Agenda

More school funding Underfund public education

End punitive misuse of testing Declare failure

No to vouchers and privatization Privatize schools

Yes to pre-K expansion Limited pre-K support

Support professionalism with Deprofessionalize education and training, resources stress online education

Uphold employee rights and Reduce employee rights and union voice union voice

Texas AFT has endorsed State Sen. to full-day pre-K. attention from a real, live teacher. Wendy Davis for governor. Abbott wants it only for some, on Abbott also has praised the “home On the issues that matter for school- a pilot basis, pretending we don’t rule” push to “charterize” and hand children, education employees, and already know it will work. And he over schools to private opera- working families, Davis is right, and thinks it would be appropriate to use tors. her opponent, Attorney General state standardized tests to gauge suc- , is dead wrong. cess—for preschoolers! Wendy Davis Health-care funding thinks that’s totally inappropriate. Davis thinks it is nuts for Texas to School Funding reject $100 billion from the federal Davis has fought to block the cuts and Private-School Vouchers government to help pay for health- restore and increase school funding. Davis staunchly opposes vouchers. care insurance for working Texans She also was a key player behind the who cannot afford it on their own. increase in state contributions to your Abbott supports “choice” (code for pension fund. vouchers and charters). Abbott is so blinded by hatred of the federal Affordable Care Act that he Davis would use increased state fund- Privatization by other means opposes taking the money. ing to expand educational services, Davis wants to strengthen neighbor- increase education employees’ pay, hood public schools, not tear them Equal pay Davis supports equal pay for equal and restore worthy programs like col- down or turn them over to private work and effective legal remedies for lege scholarships for educational aides operators. She opposes contract- pay discrimination against women. studying to become teachers. ing out of support services based on faulty cost-benefit analysis. Abbott sides with employers against Abbott as attorney general has these principles and vows to veto an defended the cuts. Abbott’s party Abbott touts online learning, with equal-pay bill, just as Gov. Perry did. platform declares its goal is to cut fewer teachers and more students Davis was the Senate sponsor of that education funding at all levels, from parked in front of computers, as the equal-pay bill, and she plans to sign it preschool through college. Abbott model of “efficient” education. We call as governor! proposes to save money by expanding it the “stack ‘em deep and teach ‘em online instruction. cheap” model. All the benefit would Employee rights go to low-quality private operators Davis fought on our side against the Pre-K like K12, Inc., harming struggling stu- Continued on page 5 Davis wants every child to have access dents who most need individualized

4 Continued from page 4 they can hardly every pay off. and suggests you just “drive around” 2011 law that eroded protections and ask for the information if you’re against unfair termination of educa- Abbott defends the predatory lenders concerned. No kidding, that is what tors. Abbott has fought to reduce and takes their money for his cam- he said. And yes, he takes campaign employee rights, issuing an attorney paign. money from the chemical-storage general opinion attacking your right industry, too. to a voluntary payroll deduction Health and safety for your union’s separate, non-dues Davis thinks you should have the Testing political fund. He also has pushed right to know when dangerous chemi- Davis wants to put state achieve- legislation to hinder union represen- cals like the ammonium nitrate that ment tests back in their proper place. tation of police and firefighters. blew up and killed people in West, She was an author of the legislation, Texas, are stored near your home, blocked by Gov. Perry, that would have Consumer rights your business, or your neighborhood prohibited the misuse of state tests for Davis has led the fight to limit preda- school. purposes such as teacher evaluation. tory lending that victimizes unwary consumers and leaves them with huge Abbott says chemical-storage fa- Abbott, as his pre-K policy makes interest payments, many times the cilities should be able to keep that plain, is allied with the testing original value of the loan, that information out of the public record industry. Lt. Governor’s Race: Leticia Van de Putte and

The choice for lieutenant governor is even a stronger contrast than the Important Dates for governor’s race. It’s important, because November 4 whoever holds this office controls the General Election flow of legislation in the . Last day to register to vote: October 6 Texas AFT has endorsed State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, who has been a Early Voting: strong champion for public education. Patrick Van de Putte October 20 to October 31 passing in the Senate. He also has Her opponent, State Sen. Dan Patrick, Last day to apply for ballot by pushed legislation to greatly expand has led the charge to privatize public mail (received, not postmarked): charter schools and make it easier to schools, voted to cut school funding October 24 Note: Federal Post Card convert neighborhood public schools in 2011, and voted against restoring Application deadline for service funding in 2013. Van de Putte would into charter schools. members and citizens outside the use the powerful seat as head of the United States is October 28. Senate to help advance our agenda. Leticia Van de Putte has been one of public education’s strongest allies on General Election: Patrick has been the leading voice the Senate Education Committee for Tuesday, November 4 in the Texas Senate pushing various more than 14 years. She staunchly versions of private-school vouchers. opposes vouchers, fought budget cuts Web sites for information With Patrick as lieutenant governor, it to education, and has developed an would be very difficult if not impos- agenda to scale back testing and end State of Texas: sible to keep voucher legislation from its misuse. www.votetexas.gov

On the issues... Van de Putte Patrick Candidates’ Web sites: School funding adequacy/equity Right Wrong Pre-K expansion Right Wrong www.wendydavistexas.com Curbing misuse of testing Right Wrong www.gregabbott.com Employee rights Right Wrong Health-Care funding Right Wrong www.leticiavandeputte.com Vouchers and privatization Right Wrong www.danpatrick.org

5 Texas AFT NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE 3000 S. IH-35, Suite 175 PAID Austin, Texas 78704 AUSTIN, TX PERMIT NO. 2917 For a Spanish version of this report, contact your local office or Texas AFT at 800-222-3827. Para recibir una copia de éste reporte en español, favor de llamar a la oficina de su sindicato local, o Texas AFT a 800-222-3827.

Back-to-school activity: Welcoming new hires! Each year, new hires join our school teams. As support site, and the variety of ways your union can help them professionals in the union, we have the opportunity to get acclimated and become successful on the job (e.g., by welcome these new employees and make a positive first providing information on helpful resources, professional impression. Let’s give these great ideas a try: development programs, Legislative Hotlines, mentor and buddy systems, support groups and social activities). • Identify new school support employees as right away. Check for new hires at the beginning of each school year • Connect the issues and concerns of new and recent hires and periodically throughout the year. with the union’s issues advocacy agenda. Show them how • Introduce new hires to your union as soon as possible. we can make a difference in our profession. Invite them to a social event or a rally at the school board. Share this magazine with them! All union members start as new employees, so mak- ing them feel welcome is important to ensure they stay • Be a “First Friend/ Best Friend,” mentoring new employ- involved. How will you introduce new employees to your ees in the policies and procedures at your school or work- union this year?

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