TEA members welcomed new teachers today during "new teacher orientation" at Torrington Middle School.

By Veronica Gelormino

Good afternoon, members!  I finally have the information I said I would get to you before the RA ended.  
1. Does any money from my TEA, CEA, and NEA dues go to political campaigns?  I spoke with Bob Brown, CEA-retired and I believe Chair of the CEA Political Action Committee.  I will put his response below:

• No money from your CEA dues goes to specific politicians or political campaigns.  The money is used to support educational issues in Hartford, so it can go to political actions committees that support educational issues but not to candidates or their campaigns.
• Some money from your NEA dues does to go support endorsed candidates.  

Bob did remind me that all candidates are vetted for their support of issues important to the NEA before they are endorsed (educational issues), not just democratic candidates but candidates that support OUR interests. Typically, though, democratic candidates appear more supportive of the issues that affect education and educators than republican candidates. I, as well as many of you, struggle with this as there are many issues to consider in addition to education when we are considering our vote; however, education issues affect all of our lives. As a matter of fact, educational issues have a HUGE impact on not only our work conditions and paychecks, but our children and grandchildren's education and future. That's why I am here. Just think about it.

2. Information on the effect of the Janus decision by the Supreme Court are outlined in the following link:
https://ra.nea.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Janus-Explainer.pdf

On the first day of the NEA RA, we saw a great power point by their legal counsel, Alice O'Brien, and I have been trying to get a copy of that to share with you because it was so well done and easy to understand. Sheila Cohen said she'd work on getting it for us in Torrington.

3. I know Michael McCotter is at SW not TMS, but you all need to know that this first-time delegate and SW building rep was amazing today at our Connecticut Caucus meeting in his effort to support teachers, students, and education.

The Connecticut Education Association recently awarded Torrington Education Association's website second place for a new entry at the CEA Representative Assembly. On hand to accept the award were Carrie Cassady and  Michael McCotter for secretary Will Siss. Here's a link to the CEA.org article.