The drinking water at 57 Detroit schools has tested positive for high levels of lead and copper. This means more than half of the 106 schools in Michigan’s largest school district have water unsafe for consumption. T

Two longtime UFT legends stepped down as officers of the union and their replacements were voted in by the Executive Board on Sept. 24. Mel Aaronson, who served as treasurer of the union since 1998, will be replaced by pension trustee Debra Penny, while Mary Jo Ginese, until recently the leader of the Supervisors of Nurses and Therapists Chapter, will take over for Carmen Alvarez, who has been the vice president for special education since 1990. 


The absence of air conditioning in many schools made both teaching and learning conditions arduous during the first week of school, prompting the UFT to ask members to document conditions as the first step of a campaign to demand action from city and state agencies.

With more than 4,000 new hires entering schools in September, the UFT hosted “Get Ready to Launch” open houses in the five borough offices, plus one at union headquarters for new UFT members who work with special-needs students, during the last week of August.

UFT is well-positioned to protect its members’ rights and benefits as the 2018–19 school years gets underway, President Michael Mulgrew reported to chapter leaders from across the city at their annual start-of-school meeting on Sept. 20 in Shanker Hall.


The provision by Washington state lawmakers of an additional $776 million in the state budget for teacher salaries sparked tense negotiations this summer between teachers’ unions and local school districts throughout the state.