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Cara Matthews

New York Teacher Senior Editor/Reporter

Federation of Nurses conf

Federation of Nurses/UFT Professional Issues Conference

Nurses take an oath to act in the best interest of their patients, but the corporatization of health care and the focus on profits have made it increasingly challenging to keep that vow. Nurses grappled with that challenge and took workshops to enhance their skills and knowledge at the Federation of Nurses/UFT's Professional Issues Conference.
Demanding safe passage

Demanding ‘safe passage’

Hundreds of staff and students from Curtis and Ralph R. McKee Career and Technical Education high schools on Staten Island, along with parents and community members, participated in a walk against violence on Nov. 26 in response to two gun-related incidents in September.
Small class size

Schools apply for class size funding

As the Dec. 20 deadline approached, several hundred New York City public schools were working on their applications for funding to reduce class size next school year. In late October, principals were invited to create a plan and apply for funds, which will be recurring, if their school had the available space but needed to hire more staff to lower class size to the new limits in state law.

Special Ed gets the shaft

Special education gets the shaft

UFT President Michael Mulgrew is calling on the city to fill vacant school-related professional positions in order to fulfill the special education requirements of at least 9,000 students across the city.
Couldn-t do it without them

Educational support team key to District 75 hydroponics lab

The hydroponics lab at P141K at IS 71, a District 75 site that serves students with profound learning challenges, allows students to participate in gardening activities year-round. The students have the opportunity to witness the plant life cycle from seed to fruit.
A group photo after a press conference for December 23 being an off-day for schools.

Schools to be closed on Dec. 23 for the winter holiday

Monday, Dec. 23, will now be a school holiday, thanks to union advocacy, parental support and a student petition backed by UFT members from across the city. UFT President Michael Mulgrew, New York City Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos and Mayor Eric Adams announced the agreement at a press conference on Oct. 30 at UFT headquarters.

UFT presses city to pay up

UFT presses city to pay up

At an Oct. 3 press conference on the steps of City Hall, UFT President Michael Mulgrew and UFT Family Child Care Providers Chapter Leader Tammie Miller demanded that the city pay 47 child care providers who lost out on two months’ payments after the network that employed them went bankrupt and closed.
Small class size

Next steps on class size

The UFT's new class size committee is mounting a member-driven campaign to educate school communities about the state law that limits class sizes, share success stories and provide school chapters with steps they can take to move the process forward.

Generic classroom photo - Spanish/ELL

Growing bilingual special ed ranks

With New York City facing a chronic shortage of bilingual special education teachers, the UFT was able to negotiate a new incentive program to encourage tenured special education teachers with a bilingual extension to combine those two specialties.
Retirees help turn out the vote

Retirees help turn out the vote

UFT retirees turned out in force this election cycle to make calls and knock on doors in support of Kamala Harris for president and other union-endorsed candidates down the ballot.