ACT NOW to defend and protect our technology coordinators
Technology Coordinators shined during remote learning. In fact, our schools would not have survived the pandemic without them. But now CPS is considering outsourcing these jobs — and we know what that means.
Our union is committed to defending and protecting our tech cos, just as we defend each and every member. That’s why our House of Delegates, at its April meeting, voted to launch a multi-faceted campaign to protect and defend our tech cos. They designated April 29 as “Technology Coordinators Appreciation Day.”
We’re asking all members to help us stand up for our tech cos and demand that CPS support these vital positions. How can you help?
Tell CPS and your alderman to protect our tech cos:
- The CPS Board could adopt a plan to outsource our tech cos at its April 27 Board of Education meeting. CPS needs to hear from us loud and clear next week. Call CPS CEO Pedro Martinez at (773) 553-1000 and Board of Education President Miguel del Valle at (773) 553-1600. Tell them how important your tech co is to your school — don’t outsource their jobs.
- Sign our petition to CEO Martinez and President del Valle and tell them to support and expand these positions, not cut them.
- Contact your alderman and ask him or her to send a message to CPS: our schools need more technology coordinators to support our students and families, not less. Find your alderperson’s contact info here.
Spread the word on social media:
- Organize your colleagues, parents and LSC to write messages of support for our tech cos. Explain how important they are to your school and speak out against any moves to privatize these positions. Use our petition to Martinez and del Valle as a guide.
- Print out one of our posters, write out your message if you like, and take a photo to share on social media. Get your colleagues together for a group shot.
- Share your messages with communcations@ctulocal1.org and be sure to use the hashtag #SaveOurTechCos on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
- While Facebook recently canceled most frames, we’ve created a custom frame for those who want to manually insert their image and reload to Facebook. Download that frame at this link.
- Support our Tech Cos on April 29th! Share your messages, photos and other acts of love for your tech cos on social media on April 29 for Technology Coordinators Appreciation Day.
We remember when CPS tried to outsource work done by our clerks. We launched a Save Our Clerks campaign, stood up and spoke out, showed mass support for our colleagues and won. Now, we must fight to defend our colleagues who support the technology our students, staff and families depend on.
The fact is, our schools needed more technology coordinators before the pandemic, but that need is even greater now because remote learning will be with us, at least in some form, for the foreseeable future. Every school needs a technology coordinator on staff. But we know what will happen if they privatize these positions. We saw what happened when the district outsourced janitorial services and switched to private nurses. Our students and schools suffered.
Join us next week to protect and defend our tech cos — and the important role they play in our school communities. They have been there for us during this pandemic. Now, with their jobs potentially on the line, we need to be there for them.
To learn more about our campaign, read the full House of Delegates resolution and this essay by CTU Recording Secretary — and PSRP for life — Christel Williams-Hayes. As always, our unity and solidarity will save the day.
Gloss