NYSUT Suffolk RO

Regional Office for New York State United Teachers, Suffolk County, Long Island.

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

Tonight I had the privilege of joining our incredible @nysut Social Justice Academy as members from across New York came together to build community, deepen their understanding, and prepare to lead meaningful change in their schools and local unions.

So inspired by this year’s cohort and can’t wait to see the impact they’ll have in their communities!

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

Every decision we make starts with one question: What's best for kids?

We're not opposed to technology. We embrace innovation when it helps students learn.

But when AI begins to simulate human relationships instead of supporting them, we've crossed a line. Our students deserve real mentors, real teachers & real human connection—not artificial substitutes.

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

A classroom and children shouldn't be a beta test for a humanoid robot. As more districts explore AI, New York needs clear guardrails to protect students, safeguard privacy, and ensure technology supports learning.

https://t.co/IL0WCK6YIf

[NYSUT @nysut]

At the end of the 2025-26 school year, the Babylon Teachers Association ratified a new four-year contract that provides an additional 15 school days of employer paid maternity/paternity and adoption leave.

Learn more about this hard-fought union win: https://t.co/GLEb7YgjsR

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

I’m grateful to @ShelleyBMayer & @SenGonzalezNY for introducing legislation that would prohibit AI-enabled humanoid robots in our classrooms.

Children learn best through real human relationships. Educators notice when students are struggling, celebrate when they succeed, and help them discover who they can become. No robot can do that.

@nysut will continue fighting for clear, enforceable guardrails to ensure technology supports learning, not replaces the human connections every child deserves.

https://t.co/9DBnpVy0JV

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

I've seen the photos from our members. Temperature readings over 100° inside school buses are becoming far too common.

As we fight to extend classroom heat protections to school buses, let's remember: getting students to school safely includes protecting them from extreme heat.

https://t.co/tOI5MimCi3

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

Thank you to @clearypm for his powerful letter in The Post-Standard urging Gov. Hochul to reject the federal voucher scheme that would divert public dollars to private schools.

If we believe public education is the great equalizer, then we must invest in the public schools that welcome every child, not subsidize private education for a select few.

https://t.co/tYEaDySWV1

[L.I. FED of Labor @LIFEDofLABOR]

NYSUT lawsuit seeks to halt Diamond Charter School relocation

Read more: https://t.co/Cvi2XGHfLL

@nysut @NYSUTSRO #nysut #publiceducation #NOCHARTERSCHOOLS #union #unionstrong #1u

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

The Salamanca robot may be paused, but this conversation is just beginning. As New York develops statewide AI guidance, educators, parents, and students deserve enforceable guardrails.

https://t.co/OvrkGxf8dH

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

This pattern of blatant disregard for the law and for the communities our public institutions are supposed to support is why we're asking the court to step in.

Learn more: https://t.co/8fSwO6KxoG

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

Before AI-powered humanoids enter New York classrooms, we need answers about accountability, student data privacy, safety and whether there’s any independent evidence they improve learning.

Our students deserve real human connection from real humans, not more screens and robots. New York needs clear, enforceable guardrails before AI enters the classroom.

[NYSUT @nysut]

Today, NYSUT President @MelindaJPerson sent an open letter to State Education Commissioner Betty A. Rosa and the Board of Regents calling for statewide guardrails on AI in schools after the Salamanca district paused its robot "teaching assistant" plan.

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

This is the right call.

The answer to the challenges in education isn’t more robots. It’s more caring adults, stronger relationships and real human connection.

https://t.co/bKK3jjvvjQ

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

BREAKING: Humanity survives another day. 🤖❌

Salamanca has hit pause on its robot “teacher assistant” experiment.

Parents, educators and community members still think kids deserve actual humans in their classrooms.

We’ll call that a win.

[Melinda Person 🍎✌🌈 @MelindaJPerson]

A robot built by a company that makes sex dolls has no business in our classrooms.

Our kids don't need more screens, more AI, or machines pretending to be human.

They need teachers. They need mentors. They need caring adults.

@nysut will fight against the thoughtless expansion of this technology and explore every necessary avenue to protect human-centered learning in every classroom across New York.

https://t.co/sJiqNivUsl

[NYSUT @nysut]

NYSUT President @MelindaJPerson has released a statement in response to the Salamanca School District's plan to bring a humanoid robot into classrooms this coming school year.

Learn more: https://t.co/4N0c84jOKF

[NYSUT @nysut]

New Yorkers agree: public tax dollars belong in public schools – not helping to pay private tuition for families who can afford to send their children to exclusive private institutions. 

Take action: https://t.co/7BIQo6aeaP

[NYSUT @nysut]

Today marked the kickoff of our 2026 Local Action Project Conference!

All week, locals from around New York will be in Lake George for team-building and strategy sessions to help strengthen membership and ensure strong communities and schools for years to come.

[NYSUT @nysut]

In an era when screens are everywhere, how do we ensure that technology remains a tool for learning rather than a substitute for the relationships and experiences that help students thrive?

Find out more: https://t.co/sC8MEg7p2N

[NYSUT @nysut]

If New York opts into the federal private school voucher scheme, it'll be disastrous for our public schools, communities and state. Every state that's introduced vouchers has watched costs explode.

Join our fight and tell New York to opt out: https://t.co/MIGsOi5dFY