Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/669580
Y O U R O P I N I O N S A N D L E T T E R S A R E W E L C O M E ! There is a 250-word limit, and all letters will be edited. If you send photos or other materials, identifications and permissions are required. Letters must include your name along with your address, daytime telephone number or email address. Email editor@cta.org. feedback M I L L E N N I A L E D U C ATO R S S P E A K O U T As a fellow millennial, I am very pleased to see that our union is finally creating safe space for dialogue that has been needed for some time ("What Do Millennials Really Want?" in March). I was one of the younger teachers caught up in the RIF process, and it made me less willing and able to get involved in my school and our union because I was not sure how long I would be around. This made it hard for our union leadership to invest in the needs of the younger teachers or to seek out emerging leaders, because there frequently weren't any to engage. By featuring our generation on the cover and asking what we want, you are inviting us into a conversation that simply has to hap- pen. We are here, we are ascendant, and our values are the future of OUR union. ALAN UNDERWOOD Temecula Valley Educators Association This article was absolutely spot on! I related to every single millennial teacher's story, and I'm so glad they got the chance to represent us! It made me want to become more involved in CTA in order to represent my peers. I'll have to find some time once I finish my master's degree and take on a second job to pay it off! MEGAN DUVARNEY FORBES Monrovia Teachers Association S C E N T E D I S D E M E N T E D, PA R T I I I am for a scent-free environment. Ever since I was pregnant with my first child 15 years ago, I am "smell sensitive." I tell my students and inform my parents every year that strong smells give me a migraine. I'm sure many people think this is a middle school and high school issue, but you'd be surprised to know how many second-graders like to wear cologne or use scented hand sanitizers. BETSEY LEMAY Hollister Elementary School Teachers Association CO R R E C T I O N S In the story "What to Do About the Teacher Shortage?" in March (page 17), Bonnie Cediel's comment was edited incorrectly, implying that the Windfall Elimination Provision is responsible for teachers losing $1,000 to $2,400 of Social Security benefits every month. In fact, she stated that the Government Pension Offset causes these large losses for teachers who have been dependent spouses — they may lose spousal benefits and survivor benefits. The Windfall Elimination Provision causes losses for teachers who have earned Social Security benefits in a previous job. In the March Bargaining Roundup (page 37), the "Put a Lid on It" community campaign should have been attributed to the Ocean View Teachers Association and not the Huntington Beach Elementary Teachers Association (HBETA). As reported, HBETA reached one of the strongest settlements in Southern California, thanks in part to a committed internal organizing campaign. O P T O U T O F T E S T I N G : R E S O U R C E S In March, we ran a story on parents' right to opt out of state-mandated testing for their child, to help educators understand state regulations governing what they can say to parents and families. CTA has pulled together specific resources, including: • School Employees' Rights Regarding Opting Out of Testing • You Can Opt Out — Know Your Rights (handout for parents) • Sample Parent Letter • Join the Movement For more, see cta.org/optout. 3 April 2016