The Advocate, March 7, 2018

• President's Message: Preparing PPS for March 14^th
• My Kindergartners are Going to #Walkout* on March 14th (and I’m Going With Them)
• Portland Educators Endorse Candidates for May Election
• PAT Stands With West Virginia Teachers
• PAT Supports the Oregon Labor Candidate School
• Rosa Parks Year-Round Calendar Agreement Extended
• Tax Tip: Did You Know You Can Deduct Your Union Dues?
• Staffing and Transfer Timelines Extended
• Member Specials
• Let's Engage!
• Addressing Hate Speech in PPS
• Do You Have a Student Loan?
• Creating True Sanctuary in our Schools and Community
• March 24^th - "March for Our Lives" to End Gun Violence
• Lessons from the 2011 Wisconsin Uprising: A Jobs with Justice Panel
• Healthcare for All Oregon: Inner City Blues Festival

As you may have heard, a National School Walkout has been called for March 14^th to honor the lives lost in Parkland, Florida on Feb. 14^th.

Students, teachers, school administrators, parents, and allies around the country are taking part in a 17-minute remembrance at 10:00 AM across every time zone on March 14, 2018. This remembrance will highlight inaction on the part of federal lawmakers, who are only offering thoughts and prayers in response to the gun violence plaguing our schools and neighborhoods.

*Or sit-in, make art, write letters, or otherwise make their beautiful voices heard.

I used to believe that my students were too young to understand or process the injustices and problems in the world. After several years of learning about and exploring complex topics together, I see now that my students understand—and are so eager to know—much more than I gave them credit for. It is often my own fear of the messiness of it all—of not having all of the answers, of how families might respond, of saying the “wrong” thing—that holds me back.

The Portland Association of Teachers Political Action Committee (PAT PAC) is proud to announce its endorsements for the May 2018 primary election. The board considers candidates’ positions on public education, their commitment to union values, their alignment to PAT strategic goals including racial equity, and their electability. We look forward to working with these candidates to improve our schools, and move our state, city, and county to better support our students and families.

On February 22, some 22,000 members of the West Virginia Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers-West Virginia went on strike, closing down every school district in the state. Educators were also joined on the picket lines by school support staff, members of West Virginia School Service Personnel Association.

After 9 days on strike--including daily actions at the state capitol--they forced the state legislature to pass a 5 percent raise for all West Virginia state employees. They also forced the governor to freeze health insurance co-pays and premiums, which were set to increase dramatically next year.

Since it began in 2012, OLCS trains and supports union members across the state to run successfully for public office up and down the ticket.  Our labor “bench” across the state includes 110 members prepared to serve in public office.  In the last five years, thirty-one OLCS graduates ran for office and seventeen of them get elected. This year ten alumni will be on the ballot. 

Thanks to the recent changes in the tax law, 2017 will be the last year you can deduct union dues on your federal income tax return. Approximately 62% of the total of NEA, OEA and Local association dues may be included as a miscellaneous itemized deduction on 2017 tax returns. Note that this is a reduced percentage than in recent years. Starting in 2018, the deduction for miscellaneous itemized deductions has been eliminated. Please consult your pay stub to determine exactly how much you paid in union dues for the 2017 tax year.

The Memorandum of Agreement for Rosa Park’s year-round calendar has been extended for the 2018-19 school year.  The MOU did not otherwise change from what is currently in place.

Do you have a house you would like to rent?  Furniture you would like to sell? A side job you would like to promote?  Put an advertisement in our new "Member Specials" page on the PAT website. Please fill out the form with all the necessary information.  We look forward to providing these specials for you! Check back monthly for new specials!

This is another benefit of being a PAT member!