NYSUT's Committee (cont.)

NYSUT's Committee on Civil and Human Rights continues...

I presented my report on "Creating Change" (see blog archive) which was followed up by Theresa Paradowski's report. She also attended and it is a witness to the breadth of this conference that I never even saw her there!

The workshops that she reported on were none that I attended and not by design. Her focus was on organizing and many of the conferences she attended were ones that I wanted to go to, but could not possibly have attended.

Lee Cutler, NYSUT's Secretary-Treasurer spoke of the the movement in NYSUT to codify our commitment to Social Justice. In the face of budget concerns and attacks on other union priorities, we are still giving attention to these issues and actually increasing the commitment.

Kevin Jennings of GLSEN will be talking at the NYSUT RA. We have been asking for a speaker on the main program and on Saturday, April 4, 2009, it will occur!

A Fair Trade discussion ensued followed by reports from visits to Mexico to view the casualities of

Ann Pavek was married recently to a woman. She approached her district administration and asked for the benefits offered to her as a result of Ramirez v. Monroe County. This case, decided by New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, granted full contractual protection to married couples, regardless of the jurisdiction in which they were married. Ann was told that the insurance company did not offer this type of coverage. She had to fight to get the district to adhere to NYS law. We are asking to that NYSUT make sure that locals know that this is the law!

Mandy Gersten was nominated to receive an award from the Empire State Pride Agenda.

NYSUT is supporting the Equality and Justice Day on April 28. A bus from Rochester will be sponsored by NYSUT.