National Committee Resource Folders
Town Hall Summaries and Links
Protecting Your Right To Be Safe In School - 1/9/20
COVID myths, how in-person class isn’t the same, Hybrid Hell video from CTU, NJ state coalition— pressed for strong state rules and trained activists about COVID, COVID safety action scenarios and responses.
PRESENTATION
Fossil-Free California - 12/9/20 (cosponsored with California Educators United)
Getting teacher pension funds to divest from fossil fuels.
Workers & Educators Unite To Stop Trump & The Far Right - 10/29/20
Discussing possible pre-election and post-election actions.
Black Lives Matter At School Year of Purpose : Justice For George - 10/14/20 (co-sponsored with Black Lives Matter at School and the WA State NAACP Youth Council)
Reimagining Everything activity, poems, Seattle, Washington BLM in Schools report, student organizing, Breanna Taylor organizing in Louisville, high school student organizing and restorative justice.
Understanding Indoor Air Quality in Public Schools - 9/30/20
District Safety Protocols — What’s wrong with them-- '3 ft.', ' When possible’ , reliance on sanitizer, mask rules. Video on why masks are only part of the indoor solution. The crucial importance of air filtration. NJ industrial hygienist on ventilation systems— air supply needs, filtration, high-risk areas and negative pressure, windows,. What to do if school air system is inadequate. Organize your workplace around COVID. Questions. Potential exposure for educators— 30 students, inadequate ventilation, six hours!
PRESENTATION
Fund Public Education - 9/12/20
What makes the best school systems internationally? How much investment in schools would be needed to do that? Where would the money come from? Creating a national strategy for winning this, combining alliances, pressure on our unions, work actions and public messaging. Q & A, Resources list
Getting Police out of Schools - 9/11/20
The history and politics of school policing, the school-to-prison pipeline, why we need to get police out of schools and how we can do that. Q & A, Resources list
Fighting for Covid-Safe Air Quality in Public Schools - 9/5/20
Why and how most Safety Guidelines are inadequate (masks, distancing, cleaning, ventilation). An industrial hygienist discusses COVID transmission, types of control, why PPE is a only a resort, ventilation systems, fresh air, best practices. NJ educator discusses technology for filtration, what to do about inadequate ventilation, and how to monitor your building. Q & A, Resources list
PRESENTATION MINUTE-BY-MINUTE GUIDE
Fighting Unsafe Schools Across the Country - 9/4/20
Educators from NY, NJ, VA and Detroit discuss their campaigns around safe reopening: demands, campaigns, parent support, reversing underinvestment in schools.
PRESENTATION
Fund Public Education - 8/21/20
What makes the best school systems internationally? How much investment in schools would be needed to do that? Where would the money come from? Creating a national strategy for winning this combining alliances, pressure on our unions, work actions and public messaging. Q & A, Resources list
Fighting Unsafe Schools - 8/19/20
Educators from the 'front line' states of FL, TX, AZ, where schools first opened, talk about their struggles against premature unsafe openings. They discuss who is pushing for reopening in person, how they have worked with parents, what the unions are doing or not doing, and their next steps.
PRESENTATION
Equitable Distance Learning - 8/14/20
Two CA educators present appropriate pedagogy so that distance learning is student-centered, project-based and investigative— not just 'content' to memorize and test. A KY educator discusses supporting students by setting up learning centers in black and brown communities. A WA educator presents questions to talk about with parents. (near the end)
PRESENTATION
Debriefing the National Day of Action (August 3) - 8/4/20
NEU worked with a national coalition including education union locals, community organizations, and educator organizations like NEU and its affiliated groups. Reports from AZ ( car caravan at the state capitol, writing letters, epitaphs and obituaries), Louisville KY (car caravan across to KY where schools had opened, BLM forum), the NJ state Dept. Of Education (socially distanced line around the building), Oakland CA (car caravan to the school district offices), Chicago IL (CTU press conference, 500 car caravan, strike authorization vote), VA (motor march to sites including Dept of Ed, capitol, governor’s mansion, great video of march), Chula Vista CA , and WA (week-long social media campaign: FB frame campaign, call-a-thon to governor, mock obituaries and letters, and then a caravan)
Preparing for the National Day of Action - 8/2/20
Presentation of the demands of the Day of Action, including both safe reopening and equitable education. How NEU affiliates are organizing in WA, OK, VA, KY and NJ.
NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION PROMO VIDEO
Joining the National Day of Action - 7/24/20
#EdEquityOrElse - 7/24/20
Educators explain the demands of the #EdEquityOrElse coalition and give examples of how we can make them real: equitable return for BIPOC students and educators, #OnlyWhenItsSafe, equitable distance learning, community-based demands and solidarity.
Building Statewide Groups - 7/17/20
Educators from 3 NEU-affiliated groups discuss how they built their organizations so far:
Facebook pages, organizing campaigns, solidarity campaigns, group statement of principles, site liaisons, core groups. Q&A
PRESENTATION
Black Lives Matter in Unions - 7/15/20
The audio for the first half is inaudible. In the second half, HICORE speakers speak about passing a BLM resolution at Labor Council. A report on the City Waste Union struggle in New Orleans— fired for demanding PPE and went on strike.
Safe Return to School - 7/10/20
NEU Criteria for Safe Return to School. Polls of parents and educators regarding reopening. Dr. Jeff Hester on the evidence that masks and controls reduce spread, and why opening schools is a threat. An Oakland educator from Refuse to Return on demanding no opening until the virus is controlled. Arizona educators on their Safe Return campaign. Discussion.
PRESENTATION
The Struggle for Police-Free Schools and Safe Reopening - 7/9/20 (Co-sponsored by NEU and other organizations)
Racial Equity in Education - 6/26/20
Report on New Orleans sanitation strike. Being anti-racist educators. History of racism in education. Racism in school discipline. The need for more teachers of color and breakout discussion reports of ideas for getting there. Report from ILWU Local 52 on the coastwide 8-hour strike in solidarity with BLM.
Black Lives Matter - 6/12/20
NEU statement in solidarity with BLM, BLM demands in education, structural racism in education and solutions. Reports from educators active in BLM demonstrations around the country. Next steps: resources and actions.
Fight Austerity, Fund Public Education - 6/5/20
State budget challenges due to COVID— projected effects in . Long-standing Educational Inequities. Federal Government political choices. Report from Minneapolis transit union on refusing to transport for the police or arrestees.
PRESENTATION
Safe Return to School - 5/22/20
Organizing tools and strategies to prepare. What’s needed for a safe reopening, union and community resolutions, educator pledge. Extensive discussion
PRESENTATION MINUTE-BY-MINUTE TRANSCRIPT
Starting NEU - 1/5/20
Vision statement. Explanation of demands. Broad discussion of types of organization, kinds of campaigns, caucuses, union and not union states, organizing strategies, different national educator organizations. Reports from VA, NJ, AZ.
Starting NEU - 2/9/20
Leadership team, state and local coordinators. Demands and types of action.