This email is being read now by Connecticut teachers ~
In the next several days, the Education Committee will consider whether or not to amend collective bargaining rights as contained in the Teacher Negotiation Act. They will be voting on Raised Bill No. 6324. An Act Concerning Teacher Employment Criteria.
Self-styled "reformers" want to use the $3.6 billion budget deficit facing Connecticut to restrict the rights of teachers that are spelled out in the Teacher Negotiations Act and the Fair Dismissal Act. They want administrators be able to lay off experienced teachers and keep less expensive, less experienced teachers.
This is not about teacher quality. It's about money- and it's not fair.
When will the dominoes stop falling?
Union members rights are at stake -please help stop The ScottWalker train from steamrolling over Connecticut !
These reformers show no understanding that teachers are evaluated every year. They have been suggesting to members of the public that competence has little to do with experience and ignore the fact that processes such as required annual evaluations provide assurance of satisfactory performance.
Tell members of the Committee you do not want your contractual rights changed. You didn't cause this fiscal crisis and it should in no way be used against you. Ask them to vote against Raised Bill No. 6324.
And the 'reformers' aren't just stopping there....
AT ISSUE
The Committee will also be debating whether to allow the Commissioner of Education to grant certification waivers to administrators and teachers in charter schools. Raised Bill No. 1104. An Act Concerning Charter Schools, seeks to eliminate high-quality educator standards that are the underpinning of our profession for the convenience of some charter school corporations that believe they should set their own standards. If this passes, it would diminish the value of certification for everyone.
There are a great number of traditional schools in Connecticut that outperform charters at similar or greater levels of poverty. They are not asking for waivers. We want highly qualified and certified teachers in all of our state's classrooms.
Let members of the Education Committee hear from you. Tell them not to relax standards or take away your rights. Let them know you want quality education for all students. Ask them to vote against Raised Bill No. 1104.
Below are the names of the Education Committee members. Please contact the co-chairs of the Committee, Rep. Andrew Fleischmann and Sen. Andrea Stillman; and the Vice-Chairs, Rep. Douglas McCrory and Sen. John Fonfara.
Rep. Andrew M. Fleischmann (D)
Legislative Office Building
Room 3101
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-0429
Andrew.Fleischmann@cga.ct.gov
Sen. Andrea Stillman (D)
Legislative Office Building
Room 3600
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-0589
Stillman@senatedems.ct.gov
Rep. Douglas McCrory (D)
Legislative Office Building
Room 4066
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-8515
Douglas.McCrory@cga.ct.gov
Sen. John W. Fonfara (D)
Legislative Office Building
Room 3900
Hartford, CT 06106-1591
(860) 240-0043
Fonfara@senatedems.ct.gov