By Dorothy Wigmore “One, two, three, four. We don’t want the mercury floor.” That’s essentially the message more and more New Jersey school staff, their union and community-based advocates are…
By Dorothy Wigmore "Local leaders should ask the administration about those rubberized floors," says Tracie Yostpille. "If you have them, they need to be tested." As president of Freehold Township…
By Dorothy Wigmore The evidence is in. The pandemic is taking a huge toll on education workers’ mental health. Physical health is next. Recent surveys in New Jersey, Canada and…
It’s way overdue! By Dorothy Wigmore School drinking water. “Building back better.” Environmental racism. They’re all involved in accelerating efforts to “get the lead out.” They’ve been helped by calls…
ESP experiences in the pandemic By Dorothy Wigmore It’s not easy being an educational support professional (ESP) in this pandemic. For many ESPs, too often, it’s a hard choice: paychecks…
But health and safety questions must be addressed By Dorothy Wigmore Asking questions is important these days. Many deal with pandemic health and safety issues for education staff and students.…
by Heather Sorge COVID-19 has placed a spotlight on how badly many New Jersey schools need upgrades, repairs, and replacement. Overcrowding and outdated or nonexistent ventilation systems are especially prevalent.…
Stories from the front lines By Dorothy Wigmore Ventilation matters, disinfecting less so The Metuchen Education Association has worked with district administrators and its UniServ field Rep, Nancy Grbelja, about…
Pandemic widens inequities By Dorothy Wigmore “We’re all in this together,” was the message in March. But it soon became clear the pandemic ocean has different boats. Some people are…
By Dorothy Wigmore They’re both invisible, usually. One—ventilation—is essential to education unions in this pandemic. The other—how to win changes around the topic—is too. Across the country, activists are inspecting…