WHEREAS:
AFSCME represents more than 150,000 school employees across the nation; and

WHEREAS:
All AFSCME members have a stake in successful public schools for America’s children; and

WHEREAS:
Private foundations, such as the Gates Foundation, are exercising undue influence on the nation’s public school system by funding handpicked education reforms, such as increased high-stakes standardized testing, school closures, mayoral and state takeovers, expansion of charter schools and the removals of principals, teachers and staff. These proposals remain unproven and cause harm to local schools and have even led to test cheating scandals perpetrated by school officials; and

WHEREAS:
For-profit corporations are seeking to enrich themselves with taxpayer dollars by controlling charter school budgets and by lobbying for the mandatory expansion of publicly-funded online “virtual schools” that perform worse than other traditional and charter schools and that are inappropriate for many students; and

WHEREAS:
Anti-union and anti-public education groups, such as the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC); foundations, such as the Walton Family Foundation (of the Wal-Mart fortune), the Bradley Foundation and the DeVos Foundation and right-wing politicians are using public concern for student achievement to promote a radical agenda of privatization of our nation’s public schools through forced charter school takeovers, “parent trigger laws,” private-school vouchers and the elimination of school employees’ workplace rights; and  

WHEREAS:
Conservative state legislators have pushed so-called reform legislation that is simply a gratuitous attack on unions. For example, Michigan Public Act 53 of 2012 makes negotiating contract language on payroll deduction of dues illegal; and

WHEREAS:
The U.S. Department of Education, through the conditions it imposes for granting state waivers to the No Child Left Behind law and its criteria for awarding Race To The Top competitive grants, is contributing to these misguided policies, that too often cripple public education and disempower school employees.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:
That AFSCME will support efforts to improve public education that recognize students’ needs for safe and supportive home and school environments, parental involvement, healthy and adequate nutrition and caring and qualified adult school staff; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME opposes so-called reforms that drain funding from our public education system for the benefit of for-profit charter operators and virtual school corporations and that require harmful disruptions to schools and school employees such as forced school closures and staff removals, ‘parent trigger’ charter conversions and the elimination of school employees’ collective bargaining, civil service and other workplace rights; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That AFSCME calls for state and federal policies that require the same oversight, testing schedules, academic standards and consequences for underperforming charter schools, voucher schools and virtual schools that they impose on traditional public schools; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:
That AFSCME supports democratic, local control of adequately- and equitably-funded public school systems that protect employees’ rights and students’ public education. AFSCME opposes any takeover, whether by mayors, states or private entities, that harms public employees or students.

SUBMITTED BY:
JoAnn Johntony, President and Delegate
Sandra Wheeler, Secretary and Delegate
OAPSE/AFSCME Local 4
Ohio