New York Association of Elementary School Principals P.5 n CSA President Ernest Logan with Eugenia Montalvo, principal, PS 106, Bronx, at the NYCESPA Conference. CHUCK WILBANKS March 2017 Volume 50, Number 7 American Federation NEWS of School Administrators, COUNCIL OF SCHOOL SUPERVISORS AND ADMINISTRATORS AFL-CIO Local 1 NEW YORK CITY At Long Last! CSA Early Childhood Education Members Get A Contract BY CHUCK WILBANKS your professionalism, qualifi- The overdue deal cations, and your commitment For CSA’s Early Childhood to educating our most precious members, a long period of includes raise commodity: children.” neglect by the city of New “The entire CSA leadership York is over. CSA officers, guarantees and made this agreement a priority after hard negotiations with retroactive pay. and we are thrilled to have a frequently reluctant city delivered for you,” he added. government, secured a new “It guarantees you will always and overdue contract for ECE they supervised, teachers who make more than those you school leaders. were hired under the DeBlasio supervise.” On March 8, ECE mem- administration’s urgent push Another crucial compo- bers, part of the workforce in to implement the Universal nent of the contract involves city funded early childhood Pre-Kindergarten program. healthcare: ECE members will centers, overwhelmingly “Our members have spoken keep their current Emblem ratified the contract. The with their ballots,” said CSA Plan. The city had sought to deal guarantees raises of 34 President Ernest Logan. “This switch members to a less desir- percent at minimum that are vote will put well-deserved able MetroPlus plan, but CSA retroactive to July 2015. It money into the pockets of fought hard to keep members also solves one key injustice people who have nurtured a keep Emblem coverage, and that was particularly rankling: generation of children since won. Some members who had run CHUCK WILBANKS their last raise. We are proud “Maintaining your current ECE schools for many years n Former CSA First Vice President Randi Herman, left, and Rosemarie to have reached an agreement doctors and health care plan found themselves making less Sinclair, CSA Assistant Director, met with ECE members to discuss the with Day Care Council of New was a must,” said Mr. Logan. than newly minted teachers new contract at CSA Headquarters on Feb 28. York that recognizes you for Continued on Page 3 INSIDE ALBANY Immigration Cuomo, Flanagan and Heastie Oppose Enforcement Convention (And You Should Too) 7 BY CHUCK WILBANKS people who want to open up the Constitution and undo some of the f the old adage that political ‘Dangerous things protections for labor. We need your decisions in New York ulti- can happen. There help and cooperation to make sure mately are ultimately made that doesn’t happen.” by three men in a room, that are some wealthy room lost a little bit of oxygen hile voters ultimately Ifor one important proposal: A New people who want decide the matter, and York State constitutional conven- to undo some of the Wthe opposition of the tion. three top dogs in state government A referendum on whether to protections for labor.’ does not guarantee how citizens Model Of hold a convention will appear on will vote, their opinion does the ballot in November. CSA is remove an institutional pillar that Inclusiveness, actively opposed, and is urging would help provide key support for its members to vote against it and Speaker Carl Heastie said he such a referendum to pass. Collaboration urge others to oppose it as well. unequivocally opposes a conven- CSA and other unions worry Now, the three most powerful pol- tion as well. that, among other concerns, zeal- iticians in New York government “We are going to need you ots opposed to unions and public 9 have come down clearly against the to remind people that dangerous institutions generally could use the idea. Gov. Andrew Cuomo, Senate things can happen,” Heastie, a open-ended convention to deny Majority Leader John Flanagan Democrat from the Bronx, told the retirement benefits and possibly Waxing Poetic both have stated their opposition, Black and Latino Caucus on Feb. even monkey with commitments and in mid- February, Assembly 18. “There are some very wealthy to public education. On Retirement 10 2 CSA NEWS March 2017 March 2017 CSA NEWS PRESIDENT’S PAGE AGREEMENT Still, Our Schools Finally, A Contract For The Union’s Early Childhood Education Members Council of School Remain Sanctuaries Continued from Page 1 Supervisors & Administrators American Federation of School “This contract does precisely Administrators, AFL-CIO, Local 1 Despite Harsh Winds, Standing Our Ground By Ernest A. Logan that.” 40 Rector St., NY, NY 10006 There is also a career ladder Phone: (212) 823-2020 ince Nov. 8, I have been waking up about ICE stakeouts, a lot of them take round- program, with approximately Fax: (212) 962-6130 and pulling the covers over my head about routes to school. Most resist applying www.csa-nyc.org $300,000 available over two to hide from the latest surprise. The for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, years to help with training President White House declares our courts a or DACA, which is supposed to protect them and professional development Ernest A. Logan threat to national security, advocates against deportation while they go to college. Executive Vice President programs. Sa new nuclear arms race, and hands over the Will the feds take information to use against “Finally ECE Directors will Mark Cannizzaro reins of the EPA to a climate denialist. They their families? Without DACA, they can’t get receive a contract that pays First Vice President appoint an education secretary who talks documents such as Social Security cards. One Henry Rubio them wages and benefits they about diverting funds from public to private principal said, “A lot of students’ fear is exag- Treasurer can survive on,” said Cheryl Christopher Ogno schools and allowing guns in the classroom to gerated. We’re trying to focus more on civics, DeWitt, the executive direc- Secretary defend against grizzly bears. Then they nearly so they understand this is not a dictatorship tor at Williamsbridge NAACP Sandy DiTrapani appoint a labor secretary who’s an avowed like the countries they came from.” Early Childhood Education Vice Presidents enemy of unions, a guy whose fast-food chain Most of their parents trust our schools, Center in the Bronx. “They are Debra Handler runs ads featuring half-naked blondes chow- but some are now keeping a lower profile. Lois Lee ing down on burgers. Now, once again, I’m It depends on how much support they’re Ronald Williams Nancy Russo, Retiree Chapter sweating over how the latest immigration ban feeling from the surrounding communities. will affect our schools, which have been sanc- It helps if they have a relationship with New Executive Director Operations tuaries for all children since 1805. York Immigration Coalition or Catholic Erminia Claudio How could our schools not remain sanc- Charities and live in districts with compas- General Counsel tuaries, with our students speaking 176 sionate elected officials. Congresswoman David Grandwetter languages, 20 percent classified as ELL, and 40 percent living Nydia Vasquez’s recent “Know Your Rights” forum was packed. in homes where a language other than English is spoken? Senator Jose Peralta has brought immigration lawyers into Outreach, Inspiration in ‘Little Asia’ of Queens Executive Director Field Services Sana Q. Nasser Blessedly, we don’t know who among them is documented or schools, filling auditoriums with standing-room-only crowds. undocumented because it’s against the law to ask. We are aware Despite support, many parents are now less willing to take Field Directors BY KATE GIBSON Juanita Bass, Mildred Boyce, that our system is full of the children of political refugees and James Harrigan, Christine Martin, economic immigrants. Our members tend not to view this as a Daisy O’Gorman, Mercedes Qualls rom her small office at PS 20 political issue, but as a humanity issue. Many of our students are the children in Queens, Lois Lee, director Assistant Field Directors Some principals and APs from very large schools are so accus- of the Chinese-American Eleanor Andrew, Mauro Bressi, tomed to providing havens to hundreds of kids who come from of political refugees, but this is not a Laverne Burrowes, Kenneth Llinas Planning Council (CPC) Charles Dluzniewski, Nancy Esposito, hardship, that they view the current situation as business-as-usual. Queens School-Age Center, Aura Gangemi, Ellie Greenberg, Others, from medium and small sized schools, are much more on political issue. It’s a humanity issue. Ray Gregory, Robert Jeanette, Fhas spent much of her 46-year career guard than before. And a few talk about having trouble sleeping. Kate Leonard, Monica McDonald, helping immigrants and low-income Dorothy Morris, Frank Patterson, The ones who fall into that category are usually the ones who families, in large part by providing a Ralph Santiago, Shelli Sklar, Wanda Soto, became school leaders specifically to help immigrants adjust to a public transportation to their jobs in places such as Long Island MaryAnn Tucker, George Young safe space for children when school new culture and now wonder if their reason for being is threatened. and New Jersey. They are now afraid to enter libraries, once the is not in session but parents are still greatest resource for immigrants. at work. Grievance Director • • • APs, teachers and counselors are providing exceptional Robert J. Reich But Ms. Lee’s program, which ntil recently, most immigrant students didn’t think they social-emotional support. Some march in demonstrations; won our union’s Effective School Assistant Directors could be deported. They may have arrived as babies, but some went to the airports with Nydia Vasquez, Jerry Nadler and Award, is far more than a free place Carol Atkins, Alex Castillo, Ed.