UFT Executive Board Minutes 6/3/2024

Summary/Analysis:

  • Today was a brief meeting, so you can probably get through them without much in the way of summary/analysis. I raised the issue of a reso we passed to end disproportionate impacts on high school teachers, to which Mike Sill said he’d follow up with the state education dept. Alex Jallot asked about the new dental RFP. Ed Calamia asked about the ability for UFT parents to attend elementary graduations. Ibeth Mejia asked about rating days being turned into instructional days. After this, some brief reports, mainly about special events, were given. Some familiar resolutions were approved to go to AFT.

Informal Executive Board Minutes follow

Mike Sill chairs.

Open Mic: none.

Minutes approved: approved (see below in appendix)

Staff directors report: Shanker scholarship dinner tomorrow, first book event Saturday on Cooper Street in Brooklyn, Secretary Soiree, Juneteenth walk.

Question Period:

Alex Jallot: dental, keep getting asked, question – last week Sorkin said at DA we’ve been exploring for years, working on something, can we see a copy of the RFP?

Geof Sorkin: Not issued yet, don’t know about public, bounce off legal

Alex Jallot: Any way we can put something out to members explaining what is happening.

Geof Sorkin: agree with comment…(missed next line).

Ibeth Mejia: June 26, instructional day – June 26 is rating day, concern is amount regents teachers need to be reading/grading. Last day as instructional day is a big burden. What can our union do to push back on non-instructional day. What advice to CLs?

Janella Hinds: We agree, completely ridiculous. Having some conversations. It will still be an instructional day, but way structured the way it is structured. Last day of school has lots of responsibilities to be met – contact with high school division.

Ed Calamia: my question is about commencement – according to current regs get some excused time to attend, but elementary not included. Have a son in elementary school, important thing, especially if parents are teachers. What can we do to encourage DOE to change the policy?

Mike Sill: topic of conversation. A lot of schools, secretaries put in as non attendance day. Not covered for pedagogues but is for admin jobs – including OT/PTs – one of few times relative benefit (for OT/PTs vs teachers). If we want that to always be covered need contractual change. Suggested by someone in committee – but wasn’t put up at top of the list. Really reg change, but could get in contract.

Nick Bacon: It’s tenure season, so I want to follow up on a reso we passed last year about disproportionate impact of discontinuance policy on high school teachers. If high school teachers, especially in some licenses that don’t apply at all in middle schools, are discontinued, even unjustly, their careers are ended. So we passed a resolution about this, and when we followed up about it, we learned it was a state law issue. So I’m just asking for an update about what we’ve done since learning about the source of the problem.

Mike Sill: engaged with state dept ,need to follow up. Getting on email thread right now to get on conversation tomorrow.  *says talk amongst yourselves as he sends the email*.

Reports from districts:

Janella Hinds: Hope you had wonderful time, went to prom. Had 300 members in this space. Celebrated our schools. Express gratitude to everyone. Sounds like it was a good thing so we will do next year.

Rashad Brown: Wiz tickets on sale. June 20th at 7 PM, starting as low as 59 dollars. Talk back afterwards, cosponsored by broadway cares. Then it’s gonna go to others as well.

Charles DiBenedetto: shout out to Murrow, big apple fellowship, out of 5k nominations, a centrally funded IEP. 10th annual transition fair at another school. FDR had cultural celebration speech.

Rich Mantell: Past Saturday, had annual 5k in Coney Island, perfect weather. Close to 300 runners. Raised fair amount of money, close to 10k for disaster relief.

Karen Alford: thank you for funding on behalf of disaster relief. Took delegation. 5k people. presented 4 workshops, along with united community schools.

Tom Murphy: annual luncheon on Thursday, jam packed crowd, David campbell was pianist, honored 100 year old member. If you manage to get out of the classroom alive you can live forever.

Raquel: Kickoff of virtual space CariCom, hour of Caribbean folks and people who know them. person mixer. Will send out some invitations to an event soon. Here, we started.

Daniel Rodriguez: TY to everyone who attended spring soiree for Latino Caucus. Dinner, dancing, drinking. 150 people there. Helped fundraise for annual scholarship. On June 22nd play still happening, please remember to get tickets.

Rashad Brown: pride march on June 30th. Need to be out there. So many people on attack in different states. Manhattan and Queens – people coming after us and our kids.

Grievance Report:

Mark Collins: non-DOE groups that have recently negotiated/ratified contracts. A special needs school had a 2 year contract, all wage increases retroactive to sep, 8-13 percent. Happy for the team.

Little red school house – faculty and maintenance. 110 teachers there –  2 ½ increase, had other increases recently. Maintenance, achieved seniority bonus ranging from 1000 to 3700 depending on seniority.

Commercial – Safety First – UFT/Alkemy commercial on safe staffing ratios.

Special Orders of Business (resos shown below). UFT has a couple resolutions we’d like to bring to AFT this summer in Houston. First about safety, condemnation of police violence, how teachers could be involved in helping reduce. Also, another on domestic violence, we’ve had two members after years of intimate partner violence. How we as educators can help. Third resolution about optimal room temperatures. NYSUT is doing a campaign around it – this is about how climate change affecting our schools and how our union be involved.

Passes.

Next week it’s executive session, we do have some business.

DA on 12th next week.

Motion to adjourn (6:28).

Appendix – Approved Minutes

Executive Board Minutes

May 20, 2024

Present:      Adika, Aklu, Alford, Aromando, Artis, Atkinson, Ayrovainen, Bacon, Barr, Bello, Bennett, Bongiovanni,  R. Brown, Calamia, Cambria, Castro, Crinigan, Crispino, Destin, Diakite, DiBenedetto, Eaddy, Espert, Franks, Friedman, Gaglione, Geist, Ginese, Highland, Hill, Hinds, Hughes, Khalid, S. Lee, V. Lee, Mantell, Mejia, Miller, C. Murphy, T. Murphy, Nanay, Nobles, Pender, Polite, Poulos, Ramos, Rock, D. Rodriguez, L. Rodriguez, Romero-Lee, Rotkowitz, Ruiz, Rzonca, Sandau, Santos, Sarabia, Shapiro, Sill, Silva, Sorkin, Thompson, Tindal, Vaccaro, Waltzer, Webb-Geddes, Weinerman, Williams, Williams-Crawford.

Excused:     S. Abrams, Alexander, Almonte, Anastasiou, Arroyo, Arundell, Barker, Bart, T. Brown, Colvin, Conaboy, Coppola, Garcia, Goldman, Gordon, Harmon, Jallot, Josaphat, Kazansky, Kuzar, Lozupone, Mulgrew, Negron, Peña, Perez, Reed, Robbins, Rogers, Rosier-Rayburn, Schirtzer, Surpris, Usatch, Wilks-Duplan, Yon.

Secretary Barr called the meeting to order.

The following minutes were approved:  Executive Board minutes of May 6, 2024 and AdCom

minutes of May 10 and 17, 2024.

Vice President Janella Hinds announced that the Academic High School Awards Ceremony and Prom will take place on May 31.  We will be celebrating our schools, activists, educators, community champions and each other.

Treasurer Victoria Lee announced the AAPI scholarship dinner took place on May 14 at the Dyker Heights Golf Club.  Over 100 UFT and CSA members attended.  It was a collaborative event to celebrate AAPI month.  There were 6 awards which included a $500 gift certificate for each child.  Senator Iwen Chu also presented 2 certificates at the event.  Shout out to Ariel Arroyo, Seung Lee, Quentin Huey and Selena Yu for helping to make this event a success.  Next year’s event will be in Queens.

Assistant Secretary Michael Sill gave an update on class size.  Since the last executive board meeting the DOE released its draft class size reduction plan which requires sign off from the UFT and CSA before it goes to the state.  From the UFT’s perspective, we are a long way from signing off on that plan.   There is no information on a capital plan in the class size reduction plan such as where the schools will be built and the number of seats that will be allocated.  There is nothing in the plan that is a direct result of the recommendations made by the class size working group.  They underestimated the support of class size reduction in NYC.  One good thing is that there is now $37 million that was not in the plan two weeks ago specifically designated for class size reduction.  That should be enough to get us to the benchmark for at least this year.  There is still language in that plan that talks about tradeoffs.  That must be removed because in the state budget there is language that says the city’s contribution toward class size reduction has to be sufficient so that each school can reduce class size and meet the benchmarks without sacrificing any of their programs.  At the CAT team meeting last week we received a great response from people who want to attend the virtual borough hearings on the contract for excellence plan.  The first one is scheduled for Wednesday which is for people who live and work in the Bronx.   For Manhattan, it is scheduled for Thursday.  For Staten Island, it is scheduled for next Tuesday.  For Queens, it is scheduled for next Wednesday.  For Brooklyn, it is scheduled for next Thursday.  All these hearings will take place at 6 PM.  Please access the DOE website, if interested, and search for contract for excellence to register.  Talking points are available through our link if needed.

Vice President Karen Alford and Executive Board member Rashad Brown reported on tickets they purchased for Hell’s Kitchen while at the NYSUT RA.  They made sure to obtain a reasonable price for our members.  It was sold out and it was an excellent show.  They purchased 100 tickets for members to see The Wiz for UFT Night on Broadway on June 20 at 7 PM.  The tickets will go on sale this week.  Once the link is live it will be sent out to the executive board and will also be available at the Delegate Assembly.

Director of the UFT Welfare Fund Geofrey Sorkin spoke about the lively discussion that took place at the Delegate Assembly about dental benefits.  He was at a pharmaceutical conference at that time.   Dental costs across the country are an unregulated market as noted by USA Today.  What we do has to be smart and efficient.  It has to be done correctly and it can’t be rushed.   Many decades ago, the Welfare Fund made the right decision to prioritize our prescription drug benefit over dental.  Those are our two biggest benefits.  Prescription drugs just edges out dental each year.   Little changes can have big ramifications with associated costs.  All decisions needs to be incredibly measured because more expensive drugs keep coming out every year.  We want to be able to provide access to all our rank-and-file members should they need them.  PSC CUNY seems to be held as the gold standard.   It was said at the Delegate Assembly that their reimbursement is greater than ours.  That’s currently accurate.  We do not  look to have the most expensive reimbursement. However, we want to remain competitive.  It’s hard to look at other union benefit structures because they each prioritize different things.  Our in-network dental providers cannot charge more than what is on our schedule of co-payments.  CUNY does not have that.  Dentists can charge whatever they want.  Our focus at the UFT is prescription drugs.  When filling a 30 day supply of prescriptions, the co-payment is either $5, $15 or $35.  That is not how PSC CUNY’s benefits work.  They do not prioritize prescription benefits.  They have a cost share co-payment.  They pay 20% to 35% of the cost depending on where the prescription is filled.  Once their welfare fund spends $10,000 on their member’s behalf, the cost share goes up to 50%.  Once they spend $15,000 on their behalf, the cost share goes up to 80%.  A drug used to treat multiple sclerosis called mavenclad, if approved by the UFT Welfare Fund, costs $35 for a 30 day supply.  If a person is not covered by any health insurance, the cost is $1.2 million.  With PSC CUNY coverage, the cost is 80% which comes out to $931,000.  Another drug for pulmonary hypertension, if approved, will cost $35 for a 30 day supply.  It costs $1.6 million without health insurance.  The very first time filled with PSC CUNY it will cost 80% of the drug which comes out to $1.3 million.  As you can see, it’s not fair to say that other unions cover the same drugs that we do.  These are the top three most expensive drugs we cover.  Number one being esterase for endocrine disorders.  Again, it will cost, if approved, $35 for a 30 day supply.  Without health insurance it costs $2.4 million.  With PSC CUNY coverage the cost is 80% which comes out to $1.9 million.  Please stop comparing our coverage to others.  We are proud of the benefits we provide.  Secretary Barr thanked Director Sorkin for a very informed report.

Motion:       To approve the following resolution for submission to the AFT Convention:

Hope and Resilience in Haiti Resolution

Whereas, the AFT and Haiti have strong and enduring ties as we are linked by family and profession, and many AFT teachers, nurses and students are proudly of Haitian descent; and 

Whereas, the United Federation of Teachers (UFT) and the Vermont Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (VFNHP) led early-response health care teams in the wake of Haiti’s devastating earthquake; and 

Whereas, then-Secretary-Treasurer Lorretta Johnson brought an AFT delegation to Port-au-Prince to help open a neighborhood free clinic serving the families of union workers; and

Whereas, we recognize that while Haiti was the first Caribbean nation to gain independence from European powers and was once one of the wealthiest colonies of the Americas, it is now the Western Hemisphere’s poorest country; and

Whereas, the challenges facing Haiti are daunting, and the Haitian people are trying to persevere amidst political instability, social unrest, financial greed, financial profiteering from other countries, the inability of its central government to deliver much-needed public services for its people, and devastation caused by climate change and natural disasters; and

Whereas, we acknowledge that the transformation of Haiti rests ultimately in the hands of its own people, who will need to initiate a multiparty dialogue and elect a new government that delivers human rights, civil liberties, and equality — a solution for Haitians, by Haitians; and 

Whereas, we assert that through all the years of civil strife, Haitian educators and nurses have functioned as strong voices for the protection of the people by denouncing the country’s episodes of violence against women and girls, fighting the recruitment of schoolboys into criminal gangs, fighting the illegal trafficking in arms, drugs, and forced labor and reaching across political lines to oppose the growing polarization of society; and 

Whereas, we have seen that the government has tried to intimidate Haitian unions, but the government’s strong-arm tactics failed because unions and their community allies stood in resistance for what is right and fair, and the fight continues for labor union rights and the right to organize; and 

Whereas, despite all the challenges facing Haiti, we remain resolutely optimistic about the power of educators, health care workers, and public-sector employees and their unions to promote democracy and social justice in Haiti; therefore be it 

RESOLVED, that we stand in unity with the people of Haiti and remain committed to defending and promoting the vital work of the public sector, because we know that high-quality public services are the vehicle by which people gain opportunity and freedom; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that to monitor events in Haiti and to identify credible aid organizations to partner with, we will empower a committee of AFT leadership and members — including members from the Haitian-American AFT community, faith groups, our regional trade union network, and other donors — to show humanitarian solidarity with the people of Haiti.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To recommend the following resolution to the Delegate Assembly:

Resolution: UFT To Endorse Cassandra Johnson For Queens Surrogate Court Judge

WHEREAS, the 2024 New York City elections feature a vacancy in Queen’s Surrogate Court; and 

WHEREAS, a committee of UFT members who live and work in Queens interviewed Justice Cassandra A. Johnson, who is running in the Democratic Primary election for the vacancy; and

WHEREAS, Justice Johnson started her career as a civil litigator before joining the Human Resources Administration and the Office of Court Administration where she served as court attorney, referee, and law clerk; and

WHEREAS, Justice Johnson was elected to serve as a Queens County Civil Court judge in 2021 and in 2023 was elected to the Queen County Supreme Court justice where she presides over a general civil part; and

WHEREAS, Justice Johnson has mentored young people through the Junior 100 Legacy Program, Legal Outreach, Inc., Practicing Attorneys for Law Students’ program and the Franklin H. Williams Judicial Commission Mentor Program and volunteered as an Arbitrator in Small Claims Court assisting litigants to resolve their dispute in an amicable manner and avoid costly legal fees; and

WHEREAS, Justice Johnson has kept strong ties to her community as a member of the Jamaica Branch of the NAACP and volunteer at the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Justice Johnson’s relevant experience proved to the interview committee that she is most qualified for the role as a judge on Queen’s Surrogate Court; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the UFT endorses Cassandra Johnson to serve as a judge in Queen’s Surrogate Court.

                                            Carried

The following resolution was submitted by Ronnie Almonte, Nick Bacon, Ed Calamia, Alex Jallot, Ibeth Mejia, Luli Rodriguez and Michael Schirtzer:

Motion:       To approve the following:

Resolution to Consider the UFT’s Endorsement for the 69th Assembly District

Whereas the UFT and NYSUT have apparently endorsed the candidacy of Micah

Lasher in the 69th Assembly District, as evidenced by campaign literature and flyers

mailed to members with the UFT logo on it;

Whereas, in the case of the UFT, this endorsement was made without any discussion or

vote by the Executive Board or the Delegate Assembly;

And whereas the endorsement of Lasher is problematic for the following reasons:

  • Lasher is the former head of Student First New York, the leading advocacy group

promoting the expansion of charter schools in New York;

  • Lasher served as Director of Policy for Governor Hochul during a period where

her office proposed the expansion of charter schools in New York State;

  • Lasher, as chief lobbyist for Mayor Bloomberg, actively promoted policies that

were anti-teacher and anti-union;

  • Lasher in his unsuccessful 2016 campaign for State Senate and his present

campaign for State Assembly has received significant funding from individuals

closely associated with the charter school movement and/or hostile to teachers

and their unions;

And whereas the Executive Board and the Delegate Assembly are entitled to vote on

UFT endorsements;

Be it Resolved: the Executive Board shall vote on the issue of the 69th Assembly

endorsement and forward its recommendation to the Delegate Assembly for its

consideration.

                                                                                                                       Defeated 

Motion:       To adjourn.

                                            Carried

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary

UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHERS

52 Broadway

New York City 10004

AdCom Minutes

May 31, 2024

Present:       Alford, Barr, Brown, Ginese, Goldman, Gordon, Hinds, Lee, Mantell, Mulgrew, Sill, Vaccaro.

Motion:      To send 2 members to the National Association of School Nurses Conference on June 28-July 1, 2024 in Chicago, IL, at a cost of $2,568 per person.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To send 1 member to the Labor Assistance of Professionals Conference on July 12-18, 2024, in Las Vegas, NV, at a total cost of $2,750.

                                            Carried

Motion:       To approve the following resolution for submission to the AFT Convention:

Resolution regarding guidelines for educating students and school staff about

Indigenous people’s culture and history

Whereas there are 574 federally recognized Native American tribes in the country, of which have unique languages and cultures; and  

Whereas, there are 326 Native American reservations in the US; making up almost 6.7 million people, according to the most recent US Census, making up about 2.02% of People in the US who are registered to a federally recognized Native American Tribe; and  

Whereas many Americans, are not registered under a federally recognized tribe, but identify as indigenous, Native American or belong to a non-federally recognized tribe; and 

Whereas, less than 1% of students (449,000 students) enrolled in public schools in the US identify as Native America when enrolling in the 2023 school year; and

Whereas many people arriving in the US today from the Caribbean, Mexico, South and Central America speak an indigenous language as their home language and/or identify as Indigenous; and  

Whereas many US Public Schools lack guidelines regarding activities and discussions about indigenous peoples, that are historically accurate and culturally appropriate; therefore, be it   

Resolved that the AFT will charge its Native American and Indigenous task force to create culturally and academically affirming schools for Indigenous students; be it further  

Resolved that AFT will encourage US Department of Education to work with educators to collaboratively develop guidelines regarding activities and discussions that pertain to indigenous peoples and their history; be it further  

Resolved that AFT collaborate with its locals to educate teachers and administrators about culturally appropriate practices regarding the teaching of indigenous people’s cultures and their history.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Carried

Motion:       To approve the following resolution for submission to the AFT Convention:

Resolution in Support of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity in Response to the June 2023 Supreme Court Ban on the use of Affirmative Action in College Admissions 

Whereas, Affirmative Action was established in 1961 to promote equal treatment regardless of race, color, religion, and national origin, later expanded to include gender in 1971; and  

Whereas, Affirmative Action addresses systemic discrimination by ensuring opportunities for marginalized groups and admitting qualified individuals traditionally excluded based on gender, race, ethnicity, and disabilities; and  

Whereas, Affirmative Action has significantly impacted employment patterns and diversity in educational institutions; and  

Whereas, in 1978, the Supreme Court allowed race as a factor in college admissions but prohibited quotas; and  

Whereas, the Supreme Court upheld diversity benefits in education but struck down quota- like admissions policies in 2003; and  

Whereas, in June 2023 the Supreme Court banned the use of Affirmative Action in college admissions presenting Asian American applicants as victims of Affirmative Action and unfair admission policies disregarding their decades-long fight for equity; therefore, be it  

Resolved, AFT continues its support of affirmative action and together with the National Education Association seek federal legislation to uphold its original intent; and be it further  

Resolved, AFT reaffirms the need for affirmative action to ensure representation and promote diversity and opportunity for all marginalized groups in all sectors; finally, be it  

Resolved, AFT asserts that affirmative action should continue until discrimination no longer exists in America and will address misconceptions and challenges to Affirmative Action policies.

                                                                                                                          Carried

Motion:       To approve the following resolution for submission to the AFT Convention:

Resolution to Reduce United States Maternal Mortality Rates

Whereas, over 76% of the membership of AFT are women; and   

  

Whereas, reproductive and maternal health is a primary concern for many of our members and the families and communities we serve; and   

  

Whereas, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, maternal mortality is defined as the death of a childbearing person, while pregnant or up to one year following the pregnancy, from a cause related to, aggravated by, or irrespective of the pregnancy; and   

  

Whereas, the maternal mortality rate in the United States is higher than most other high-income countries; and   

  

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control National Center for Health Statistics, this rate currently stands at 32.9 deaths per 100,000 live births which represents a significant increase from 20.1 in 2019 and 23.8 in 2020; and   

  

Whereas, a recent National Public Radio article on the CDC study cited the US rate “which is more than ten times the estimated rates of some other high-income countries, including Australia, Austria, Japan, and Spain which all hovered between 2 and 3 deaths per 100,000 in 2020″; and   

  

Whereas, the 2021 maternal mortality rate for Black women at 69.9 deaths for 100,000 live births is more than double the average rate of other American women; and   

  

Whereas, research has shown that in the United States, Black women are also twice as likely to have a preterm birth (PTB), give birth to a low birth weight (LBW) infant, or experience the death of a child before age 1, when compared to white women; and  

Whereas, the maternal mortality rate for Native American/Alaska Natives has also drastically increased since 2019, resulting in a rate that is more than twice the already high rate experienced by white women; and  

Whereas, the maternal mortality rates for people who are low-income, over 40-years-old, and disabled are also abnormally high in comparison to the national average; and   

  

Whereas, according to the American Medical Association, the Centers for Disease Control, the Commonwealth Fund and other national scientific and medical organizations, many instances of maternal mortality are preventable; and   

  

Whereas, lack of access to comprehensive, coordinated, and respectful healthcare, the prevalence of chronic conditions, and inadequate postpartum support are among the reasons attributed to our nation’s high maternal mortality rates; and   

  

Whereas, research indicates that these disparities are symptoms of broader underlying social and economic inequities that are rooted in racism and discrimination; and   

  

Whereas, the trauma that results from these incidents, while rarely discussed, has long lasting and profound impacts on our schools, offices, families, colleagues, and communities; and   

  

Whereas, in the latest data released by the National Center for Education Statistics, 28 percent of public school students are Latino, 15 percent are Black, and about 52 percent are economically disadvantaged, and their mothers of childbearing age are at risk; be it therefore   

  

Resolved, that AFT calls upon healthcare organizations to offer ongoing resources, education, and professional development for those providing reproductive care in effort to decrease maternal mortality rates, especially among women who are most affected; and be it further   

  

Resolved, that AFT will work with educational, public health, and other organizations to offer resources and direct assistance to support educators, school counselors, social workers, and psychologists as well as whole schools and communities serving people affected by maternal mortality; and be it further   

  

Resolved, that AFT supports legislation promoting the expansion of birthing centers, particularly in communities where maternal mortality rates are highest, so that more women may receive quality reproductive care that is caring and respectful to all families of newborns; and be it further   

  

Resolved, for instructional staff to properly teach students headed into professions where unconscious beliefs about diverse groups can create harmful racial disparities, that AFT encourages professional learning that addresses implicit bias among staff and students, so that all people are treated fairly and equally; and be it further  

  

Resolved, that AFT calls for increased research on the causes of these disparities and supports working with coalition partners to increase investment in efforts to decrease maternal mortality rates in the United States.  

                                                                                                                          Carried

Motion:       To approve the following resolution for submission to the AFT Convention:

Resolution Urging Repeal of the Comstock Act

Whereas, the Comstock Act, a 150-year-old, sexist, and invasive law, remains on the books despite being dormant, presenting a potential threat to reproductive freedom and access to abortion medication and contraceptives; and 

Whereas, being able to control one’s fertility was a critical advance in both women’s health and economic mobility, allowing women to make informed decisions about their bodies and futures, and contributing significantly to their social and economic empowerment; and 

Whereas, recent oral arguments before the Supreme Court, featuring references to the Comstock Act by conservative justices, signal a concerning willingness to turn back the clock on reproductive rights and potentially use the act as a tool to restrict access to abortion medication and contraceptives; and 

Whereas, the potential enforcement of the Comstock Act under a right-wing administration poses a serious threat to reproductive health care, including abortion medication, and could serve as a backdoor to banning abortion and limiting access to vital contraceptives; therefore, be it 

Resolved, that this assembly urges for the immediate repeal of the Comstock Act to safeguard reproductive freedom and ensure access to safe and effective abortion medication and contraceptives for all individuals; and be it further 

Resolved, that the AFT demands action to prevent the enforcement of the Comstock Act and any attempts to use it as a tool to restrict reproductive health care options; and be it further 

Resolved, that the AFT calls upon lawmakers and advocacy groups to take proactive measures to protect reproductive rights, including advocating for comprehensive reproductive health legislation and opposing any efforts to undermine access to essential reproductive health care services. 

                                                                                                                          Carried

Motion:       To adjourn.

                                            Carried

Respectfully submitted,

LeRoy Barr

Secretary

Nick Bacon is a co-chairperson at New Action Caucus. He is also an elected member of the UFT executive board

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