We hope you are enjoying your summer and are able to relax and refresh ahead of another school year.
The BTU remains hard at work throughout the summer advocating for students and for public education. Last week, 40 BTU members attended the AFT TEACH Conference in Washington DC. Members who attended are looking forward to bringing lessons and strategies back home to fellow union members and our schools. You can view highlights using the hashtag #TEACH19 or the AFT website.
Over the summer, we are also working to help public ed candidates get elected this fall, including two new candidates with strong BTU ties: Brandon Bowser, who is a BTU member running for City Council in district 9 and Ricardo Arroyo, candidate for City Council District 5, whose sister and mother are BTU members. Another BTU member, Annissa Essaibi George is also running for re-election! Please support their campaigns and contact Political Director Johnny McInnins to get involved with supporting all of our endorsed candidates!
Join our BTU Activists list! We are also looking for members to join acitivists from across the state in the #FundOurFuture campaign to provide additional state funding for our schools. The clock is ticking to get legislation enacted. If you are able to help with this campaign over the summer, please contact Khalida Smalls, BTU Organizing Director. Call your legislator today to support the Promise and Cherish Acts!
Additionally, the BTU is working towards securing a contract for educators at City on a Hill Charter Schools. Even as the BTU continues to negotiate with City on a Hill, we have launched an ad campaign aimed at calling attention to the unstable learning environment caused by the lack of a contract. View the ads below, and sign our petition showing your support for CoaH educators and staff!
Finally, although we are all enjoying our summer, the school year is just around the corner. We are thrilled to once again be holding our annual Back To School Fair. Save the date for Saturday, September 21, when we will deliver tens of thousands of books! Please sign up to volunteer in the days leading up to the event, when we will need help sorting books for distribution.