Support Report For paraprofessional & school related personnel members of Texas 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 Wendy Davis and Leticia Van de Putte educate Texans. in Houston 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 San Antonio 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. Download the Texas AFT app! 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 Dallas schools to private opera- working families, Davis is right, and thinks it would be appropriate to use tors.