Two longtime UFT legends stepped down as officers of the union and their replacements were voted in by the Executive Board on Sept. 24. Mel Aaronson, who served as treasurer of the union since 1998, will be replaced by pension trustee Debra Penny, while Mary Jo Ginese, until recently the leader of the Supervisors of Nurses and Therapists Chapter, will take over for Carmen Alvarez, who has been the vice president for special education since 1990. 


See questions and answers on the Nov. 18, 2016 memorandum of agreement between the DOE and the UFT on SESIS issues and Medicaid reimbursement for speech and language services.

The UFT, the DOE and the Council of School Supervisors and Administrators crafted this FAQ to help with special education issues.

Vice President for Special Education Carmen Alvarez testified before the New York City Council Committee on Education and Sub-Committee on Non-Public Schools about the Int. 0435 bill mandating special education services reporting.

UFT Vice President for Special Education Carmen Alvarez testified that placing alarms on the exit doors of all elementary schools and all buildings that house District 75 programs, as Int. 0131 calls for, may help in alerting school staff once a child has left the building. But that should just be one piece of an overall plan to protect children who have a tendency to run.

The UFT will remain mindful of the need to use inclusive and broad language whenever possible and appropriate in referring to its members, and tthe UFT’s members will be encouraged to use the word “members” instead of “teachers” when referring to the union’s membership.