With a new school year underway, educators, administrators, parents, students, business leaders, and community members have joined together in a newly launched campaign—Public Education Champions—to advocate for policies that uplift public school teachers and support their students’ academic and mental health needs.
“As educators, we see firsthand the challenges our students face in the classroom and beyond,” CEA President Kate Dias said in a news conference yesterday announcing the coalition and campaign. “This is an effort to bring together parents, community leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders so that we can raise our collective voices to support students, strengthen public schools, and create a brighter future for every child. We know that an investment in public education reaps generational rewards.”
The news conference, held outside Glastonbury High School, was livestreamed on CEA’s Facebook page. It was the day’s top CT News Junkie story, and portions aired on NBC Connecticut Channel 30.
CEA President Kate Dias addresses reporters.
‘Data is not destiny’
The Education Champions campaign addresses growing concerns about challenges facing students, particularly mental health issues. In a back-to-school survey conducted by CEA, teachers reported a rising number of behavioral and mental health challenges among students and a lack of school-based resources to address them. The vast majority of educators have seen an increase in everything from students’ stress and anxiety to dysregulated behavior and thoughts of self-harm.
While the statistics are sobering, said Dias, “Data is not destiny. It is not the end of the story. What it is, is an opportunity for change.”
“I’ve seen a lot of students pass through my doors over the last 17 years, and it’s not surprising that students today are anxious and overwhelmed,” observed veteran Glastonbury High School teacher Anagha Sabnis-Samboy, a parent of sixth-grade twins. “We have amazing supports here in our town, especially for students in crisis, but an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. That’s what I’m hoping for when it comes to my children—and by my children I mean those I go home to every day as well as those in my classroom and in our hallways.”
Fellow GHS teacher Kristen Basiaga (pictured at top), who serves as president of the Glastonbury Education Association, said, “As a parent, educator, and union leader, I can say that Connecticut is facing unprecedented challenges in education. Some of the most thoughtful, caring educators have left the profession because of burnout. Twenty percent of my students are dealing with depression or anxiety. I can be the best parent for my child at home, but without small class sizes and individualized attention, she could fall through the cracks. The good news is that coalitions like ours work. We wouldn’t be here if we thought these problems were insurmountable. Together, all the groups represented here—the PTSO, the Board of Education, administrators, parents, teachers, businesses, union leaders, and community members—have pledge to ensure that every student gets the resources needed to succeed. This is our chance to make a real difference. You don’t need to be a parent or a teacher to be an Education Champion. You just need to care.”
Parent Nolan Henry emphasizes the importance of students’ well-being.
“As a parent, I know how important a strong education is for our children’s future,” said Nolan Henry, past president of the Glastonbury Parent Teacher Students Organization. “Joining the Education Champions campaign is about more than just advocating for better resources and funding—it’s about fighting for the opportunities our kids deserve. Every child should have access to a quality education and a feeling of belonging, and together we can make sure that happens. We need to keep our foot on the pedal and continue this good work every day.”
Invest for the best
Representatives of the business community voiced their enthusiasm for the campaign as well.
“This is an important and timely initiative,” said Chris Davis, vice president of public policy for the Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA). “We are proud of our partnership with CEA in raising awareness of the important role education plays in shaping a future-ready workforce. Our new workforce going forward really begins in today’s public schools, and that requires addressing students’ mental health needs as well as supporting our public school educators now.”
“If there’s anyone who understands the impact of education, it’s someone who has to sell a house,” Dias said, introducing local real estate professional Michelle Collins.
CBIA’s Chris Davis notes that a strong economy and future-ready workforce are only possible with strong, supported public schools.
“Given the overall volatility of the real estate market over the last 30 years, it’s tough to say anything with absolute certainty, with one exception,” Collins said. “A town’s education system breathes life into the real estate market. To many buyers, local schools are the deciding factor in where they will purchase a home. The quality of a town’s education system is in direct proportion to the demand for that town and its real estate values.”
Adding their voices to the campaign were school administrators and elected officials.
“The Connecticut Association of Public School Superintendents is committed to a robust partnership with CEA,” said CAPSS President and Newington Superintendent Dr. Maureen Brummett. “Educator voices on how to improve and grow the profession must be given the highest consideration. In fact, a top priority for CAPSS this year and beyond is elevating the teaching profession, because at the heart of every education system is continuous, daily student-teacher interaction. I look forward to our continued collaboration with CEA on behalf of all of our hardworking educators in Connecticut.”
Brummett noted that higher teacher salaries and greater teacher autonomy would go a long way toward uplifting the profession, and fellow administrator Dr. Alan Bookman, superintendent of Glastonbury Public Schools, agreed.
“The challenges facing educators today are greater than ever and have contributed to the teacher shortage we’re seeing,” he said. “We are asking for support from the entire state to make sure we are providing the highest quality education to all Connecticut students.”
Glastonbury Board of Education Chair Jeff Foyle, whose parents were both public school teachers, emphasized the strong working relationship, shared goals, and mutual respect between the BOE and the Glastonbury Education Association.
“Our teachers are highly trained, exceptionally educated professionals, and one of the many ways we support them is through effective budgeting and policy, which includes providing safe, supportive, and inclusive schools,” he said. A school district that “walks the walk,” he noted, is one that “devotes resources to expanding mental health services for students and staff.”
“Becoming an Education Champion brings all of us together—parents, educators, businesses, and the broader community—with a unified voice to advocate for stronger mental health supports and educational resources, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive,” added Dias.
To learn more and join the Public Education Champions campaign, visit ctedchamps.org or text Champions to 48744.
