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A Message from WTU President
Good Morning WTU!
Happy Mother’s Day to all the Moms, Grandmothers, Stepmoms, Aunties, Godmothers and Sister-Friends! I hope you and your families had a wonderful day and to all those who are missing Moms… may the memory of good times together fill you with far more joy and laughter than tears.
Last week marked a week of action in our efforts to get a contract. On Monday, while many of us were celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, DCPS cancelled our planned contract bargaining session on Tuesday and instead, filed a legal complaint against the WTU for speaking with DC City Council officials. It is not against the law for WTU to speak to elected officials about union concerns. To file a lawsuit against the WTU for exercising our legal right to free speech on the first day of a nation-wide week celebrating teachers struck us as an intentional slap in the face to all DC teachers. Teachers and building representatives at Coolidge HS, Whittier ES, Eliot Hines MS, Eastern HS, Dorothy Heights ES, Roosevelt HS, and MacFarland HS protested this decision Wednesday through Friday of last week by walking out of school at 3:30PM at the end of their tour of duty to rally against the District and DCPS’ unfair negotiating practices. DC State Board of Education President Eboni-Rose Thompson, Ward 4 DC State Board of Education Representative Frazier O’Leary, Ward 1 DC State Board of Education Ben Williams, and DC City Councilmember At-Large Robert White Jr. showed up to our protest rallies to lend their support.
As we move into the last few weeks before June elections, I ask you to please consider volunteering for all the candidates we are supporting and consider donating funds to their campaigns. We need to continue to ensure that those in political office will support us just as we have supported them.
In solidarity,
Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, President
Washington Teachers’ Union
Weekly Update - WTU’s Contract Action Team (CAT)
The WTU Contract Bargaining Team is busy preparing for our next bargaining session with DCPS on May 21st, 2024.
If you have ideas on what contract actions your school should take, please contact your Building Representative and WTU’s organizer, Mike Roland, for support. Together, we must show DCPS we will not tolerate their proposed reduction of our rights! To learn more, please download WTU’s two-page summary of WTU’s Contract Negotiating Team’s 10 Proposals and 3 Memorandums of Agreement
Important Special Education Survey
If you are a Special Education teacher or related service provider, please take this important survey here regarding PowerSchools here.
Sick Leave Buy-Back Program
Applications for Sick Leave Buy-Back are now available. The deadline for submission of the application is June 7, 2024. Click here for more information and application.
Upcoming Events, Activities & Meetings
- May 13 @4:30PM, via Zoom, Topic: Vice-President of Elementary School Committee Meeting. Meeting ID: 848 5194 3726 / Passcode: 428628
- May 14 @4:30PM, via Zoom, Rep Assembly Meeting, Building Reps and Delegates will receive a unique link to join as a participant, INFORMATION
- June 8, Pride Parade
- June 9, Pride Festival
In the News
- 05/06/2024 – The Washington Post – Student’s wounding inside Dunbar HS detailed in DC documents
- 05/08/2024 – The Washington Post – DC’s largest high school to show alternate Palestinian film after suit
- 05/08/2024 – WTOP NEWS – Agreement reached in Arab Student’s Union Suit against DC, high school principal
- 05/08/2024 – The Washington Informer – First Lady Honors Teachers at Inaugural State Dinner
LEA Look Forward – Weekly Updates
Membership Update
Make sure you are eligible to vote & receive WTU Communications!
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AM Brew News and Notices are archived at https://www.wtulocal6.net/AMBrew.
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