DESIGNATING AND CELEBRATING NATIONAL PARAPROFESSIONALS AND SCHOOL-RELATED PERSONNEL WEEK

WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers represents more than 370,000 paraprofessionals, bus drivers, custodial and maintenance employees, health assistants, clerical employees, secretarial staff, and other school and college support staff (PSRPs) in schools and colleges across the nation; and

WHEREAS, members who perform this work may be called many different things, from paraprofessionals and school-related personnel to college support staff, to classified staff, to school-related personnel or any other number of school support staff names; and

WHEREAS, the contribution of paraprofessionals and school-related personnel to the school community is integral, significant and deserving of recognition; and

WHEREAS, the AFT first demonstrated its commitment to PSRPs and their important contributions to our students and our union in 1930, with the chartering of the Education Secretaries of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, paraprofessionals and school-related personnel in many states are members of both the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association; and

WHEREAS, the National Education Association has declared the third Wednesday of each November their version of a Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel Day:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers shall designate the first week of each October as National Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel Week; and 

RESOLVED, that the AFT shall uplift the contributions, work, stories and voices of PSRP members in honor of National Paraprofessionals and School-Related Personnel Week.

Adopted 9/29/2022