From: Nigel.Allen@bbs.oit.unc.edu (Nigel Allen)
Newsgroups: misc.education,k12.teacher.chat,alt.activism
Subject: AFT President Calls for National Disaster Readiness Plan for Schools
Date: 2 Oct 92 02:36:28 GMT
Organization: NDA

Here is a press release from the American Federation of Teachers.
 AFT President Calls for National Disaster Readiness Plan for Schools
 To: National Desk, Education Writer
 Contact: Jamie Horwitz, 202-879-4447,
          or Ron Sachs or Annette Katz, 305-854-0220,
          all of the American Federation of Teachers

   MIAMI, Oct. 1 /U.S. Newswire/ -- After touring several schools
battered by Hurricane Andrew, the president of the American
Federation of Teachers today joined with other education leaders to
urge the drafting of a "National Education Disaster Relief Plan."
   "In the event of an earthquake, hurricane or blizzard, the
highways are filled with utility trucks from surrounding states
responding to the need for electricity in the disaster area.  In
stark contrast, school districts are on their own," said Shanker.
"Schools have no automatic response mechanism.  Schools in disaster
areas either receive no help or must hold their hats in their
hands and beg."  According to Shanker, the National Education
Disaster Relief Plan would include advance, pledged commitments
for various kinds of help from individual states in a reciprocal
aid pact.
   "Getting children back to school is a vital element in returning a
disaster-affected community to a sense of normalcy," said Shanker.
"Dade County is a good example of just how important that sense of
routine is -- and we must learn from this example."
   Shanker's tour was led by AFT Vice President Pat Tornillo, who
also serves as the executive vice president of the United Teachers of
Dade and the president of AFT's Florida affiliate, the Florida
Education Association/United.
   "Public education has been rocked as hard as any institution
because of Hurricane Andrew -- and the fact that schools are open and
operating at all now is a tribute to hard work by many dedicated
people," said Tornillo.  "But, we are still in the early stages of
healing the hurt."
   Following their visit to Dade County's devastated school sites,
Shanker and Tornillo were joined by Dade County School Superintendent
Octavio Visiedo and Dade County School Board Chair Janet McAliley.
In addition to annoucing the call for the creation of the National
Education Disaster Relief Plan to be administered by the U.S.
Department of Education, the four education leaders issued a set of
major actions and recommendations, including:

   -- Visiedo recommended "intensive care" for 50 schools in South
Dade.  The superintendent said he would recommend to the Dade County
School Board that a portion of the federal disaster assistance funds
be used to provide two permanent substitute teachers and additional
counselors at each of the approximately 50 most hard-hit schools.
   The substitutes will enable teachers with disaster-related needs
to leave school for appointments to apply for loans and other
assistance for their own families.  Shanker pledged that the
AFT would underwrite special training for the counselors so
that they could more effectively help children, teachers and
other staff through "post disaster stress."  Shanker noted that
the AFT had provided similar training to children and teachers
in the Virgin Islands following Hurricane Hugo and in northern
California after the Loma Prieta earthquake.
   -- Shanker vowed that the AFT will continue to promote donations
from the union's 2,000 local affiliates across the country to asist
teachers and paraprofessionals most affected by the storm.  In
addition to Dade County's schools, the AFT also has been assisting
schools that were damaged by Andrew in St. Mary Parish, La.
   Individuals wishing to assist students and teachers in the two
disaster areas can send contributions to the American Federation of
Teachers Hurricane Relief Fund, 555 New Jersey Ave. NW, Washington,
D.C. 20001-2079. Every dollar received is sent directly to those
suffering from hurricane damage.
   The American Federation of Teachers represents 796,000 teachers,
paraprofessionals and school-related personnel, higher education
faculty, nurses and state and municipal employees.
 -30-

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