【99.8.11 EI 新聞】美國教育、教師及教師工會歷史性的勝利

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2010/08/16
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[2010-08-11] United States: Historic victory for education, teachers and unions

99.8.11 EI 新聞】美國教育、教師及教師工會歷史性的勝利 【全教會外事部編譯

The US House of Representatives has voted to approve new legislation that will inject more than $10 billion in aid to states and school districts to save education jobs that were threatened by budget cuts.

美國眾議院已經通過一項法案,將挹注100多億美金資助各州及各學區,挽救因為經費刪減而受到威脅的教育工作。

NEA mobilising members NEA動員會員】

Recent figures from the US Department of Education estimate that 161,000 educators who had received ‘pink slips’ (were given redundancy notices), will instead be heading back to school in the autumn thanks to this law. Moreover, the passage of this Senate-approved bill will benefit students by ensuring that class sizes do not skyrocket, and that essential programs like art, music and summer school are not cut.

【依據美國教育部最近的統計,估計有16,1000名教育人員已經收到「粉紅色通知單」,即「冗員通知單」,由於這項法案通過,這些教育人員在秋天可以回到學校工作。另外,這項參議院通過的法案對學生是有利的:(1)確保班級人數不會急遽攀升,(2)確保一些基本課程,如藝術、音樂和夏季學校(summer school),不會被刪掉。】

【*譯註summer school,如果是高中,學生在暑假可以補修或先修特定科目,例如,英文、數學、物理、化學等,也是算學分的。】

This major victory is a result of the sustained and successful campaigns that were run by the two main education unions, and EI’s largest affiliates in the US. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) have developed an impressive track record of persistent advocacy work to mobilise their members and draw the attention of the whole community of students, teachers, parents, politicians and media, to achieve a common goal of avoiding educator layoffs and preserving the quality of education in these critical economic times.

【這項重大的勝利是由美國的兩大教師工會,(他們是EI在美國的最大的盟友),全美教師聯盟(The American Federation of Teachers ,簡稱AFT)全美教育協會(the National Education Association ,簡稱NEA) 共同發起活動,持續努力所獲得的成果。他們締造了令人印象深刻的紀錄,堅持主張,動員會員,引起學生、教師、家長、政治人物以及媒體的關注,達成了共同的目標:在經濟不景氣的時期,避免了教育人員被裁員,並且維護了教育的品質。】

AFT President, Randi Weingarten, said: “We can’t ‘race to the top’ if the bottom is falling out for school districts across the country. Make no mistake about it -for every layoff, for every day that’s cut from a school week, for every course or program that’s dropped, children are hurt. That is why we are so grateful that the Senate demonstrated its support for kids and their education.”

AFT理事長Randi Weingarten說:「如果在全國各地,『底部』都掉出各學區之外了,我們就不可能『奔向頂端(即卓越)』。以下幾件事都不能出差錯:任何的裁員、砍掉上學日的任何一日、刪減任何一門課程,學童都會因而受到傷害。因此,我們十分感激參議院展現他們對學童和教育的支持。」】

【*譯註:「奔向卓越」(Race to the Top)是美國聯邦教育部正在推行的教育政策。

NEA President, Dennis Van Roekel, added: "Some critics of this legislation first complained that it wasn't paid for. That is not true. This legislation is fully paid for, and the Congressional Budget Office analysis shows that it will actually reduce the deficit over the next decade. Others claimed that this legislation will benefit ’special interests’. Since when did the needs of our nation's students, the health of low-income Americans, and the safety of our communities become ‘special interests’?”

NEA理事長Dennis Van Roekel補充說明:「有些批評這項法案的人士不滿的說,花這些錢是不值得的。那並不是事實。這項法案所花的錢完全是值得的,而且,國會預算室(the Congressional Budget Office)的分析顯示,實際上,此舉在未來十年內,會減少預算赤字。另外,有部分人士聲稱,這項法案將有利於『特殊利益者(special interests)』。到底在甚麼時候,全國學生的需求、低收入美國人的健康、我們社區的安全等,竟然都變成了『特殊利益者』?」】

Both unions emphasised the important role of the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, for her leadership and tireless efforts on this issue. She called the members of Congress back to Washington D.C. last week, in order to take the second and crucial final vote on this critical issue for public sector jobs.

兩大工會強調,眾議院議長Nancy Pelosi實在功不可沒。在Nancy Pelosi的領導之下,對本案不懈的努力,才能通過這項法案。她在上週,為了要進行這項公部門工作法案第二輪及決定性的最後一輪投票,將國會議員們召回華盛頓特區。

The bill will now be signed into law by President Obama, and it will hopefully create an historic precedent of how education can become the solution, not the problem, in a time of global crisis.

【這項法案將由Obama總統簽署入法,本法案可望創造一項歷史先例:在全球(金融)危機時,教育成為解決危機的方案,而不是製造危機的問題。】

 

AFT campaign “Pink Hearts, Not Pink Slips”AFT的宣傳活動:粉紅的心,不是粉紅的通知單】


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