Parent Teacher Association of Connecticut, Inc.
AMERICA'S FIRST STATE PTA, EST. 1900

Whereas, 250,000 Americans die each year of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA): and

Whereas, Survival rates increase from 5% to nearly 70% if defibrillation occurs within the first 3 to 5 minutes of onset; and

Whereas, An untimely death from sudden cardiac arrest is a traumatic occurrence affecting entire communities; therefore be it

Resolved, That CT PTA supports changing Connecticut’s Good Samaritan law to cover the site where AEDs are used, as well as the person(s) who oversee the program and be it further,

Resolved, That CT PTA supports efforts to provide access to AEDs at all athletic facilities and not just at public golf courses, as is the current law, and be it further

Resolved, That CT PTA will support efforts to educate the public about both the importance of early defibrillation and training in the use of AEDs.

A school-based team including parents to coordinate and maintain bully prevention efforts;

Whole-school training for professional and paraprofessional staff to effectively address instances of bullying;

A coordinated system of supervising students, with attention to increased adult supervision in areas where bullying occurs;

A mechanism through which students can report bullying safely;

An atmosphere of acceptable telling;

A consistently enforced discipline policy, which includes codes of conduct for students, staff, and volunteers, and specific rules and language against bullying behaviors;

On-going public education efforts to reach all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, community).

An evaluation component, which includes pre and post-test surveys to assess perceptions of safety and effectiveness of anti-bullying strategies

Student and teacher-created classroom rules against bullying behaviors and

Regular classroom meetings/group discussions with students about bullying/respectful behavior.

Non-punitive, multi-level, ongoing interventions with students identified as bullies, including consistent enforcement of non-punitive, graduated consequences, as well as establishing systems of support to reduce aggressive behaviors of concern, consequences, and systems of support

Mental health professionals be involved in identification and interventions with students identified as targets, including establishing systems of support to develop a stronger sense of security at school and to strengthen assertive social interactions.

Parent engagement including discussing behaviors of concern, consequences, and systems of support.

Both pre-service and in-service training for teachers, parents and other adults in school buildings, (including coaches, parent volunteers, bus drivers, maintenance staff, administrators, guards, paraprofessionals, secretaries, etc.) should be provided to develop the skills and support necessary to take responsibility for creating and sustaining safe school environments.

Primary Prevention policies should be adopted and implemented by school boards. The anti-bullying program policy should be included in student and parent handbooks and reviewed with all staff periodically.

Appropriate funding for schools seeking to implement model anti-bullying program should be developed by the State Department of Education.

Implementation of alternative supports and strategies for students should be provided. These may include provision of after-school programs, anger management classes, character education, mentoring, conflict resolution, counseling for students and families, diversity training for students and adults, and alternative placements for at-risk students.

Mental health professionals, involved in identification and assessment of bullying behaviors and in development and implementation of anti-bullying programs and strategies.

Encourage collaborative agreements among schools and community-based organizations.

CT PTA recognizes that childhood obesity is an increasingly serious problem for our children. Type II diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol, formerly health issues of middle age, adults, are now appearing as early as elementary school.

CT PTA recognizes that schools must educate the whole child, physical as well as mental, and we encourage schools and school boards to examine and change policies that eliminate physical activity (for ex. PE time and recess) in order to free up more instructional time: policies that use the elimination of recess as a consequence for poor behavior, and general practices that use food as a reward for good performance.

CT PTA encourages each school district and school to create advisory committees which includes parents, teachers, food service staff and administrators to examine all school practices and policies concerning food, vending machines, physical activity and any other issues that affect children’s physical health.

CT PTA recognizes that just as there is no single cause for childhood obesity there is no single solution and good nutrition, physical activity and family education on this topic all need to be encouraged and supported.

RESOLVED That Connecticut PTA support legislation which proposes stricter controls of concealable firearms, including but not limited to, registration of each gun sold, recording of secondary sales, licensing requirement for purchases of shotguns and rifles as well as handguns, and stricter permitting standards for those alowed to carry loaded concealable weapons;

And be it further RESOLVED That Connecticut PTA inform its members about pending gun control legislation and the issues surrounding such legislation so that local PTAs and PTA members may encourage legislators to support same.

CT PTA recognizes the need for school readiness for all our students and the importance of parental involvement in this process. Quality early childhood education should be available to all children in the state of Connecticut.

CT PTA recognizes that early childhood education providers including day care and nursery school personnel should be highly qualified but do not need to be certified.

CT PTA does not support mandatory Pre-K education unless existing pre-K programs are adequately funded and school facilities are funded for any necessary expansion to make a program possible and viable. Any mandatory program must recognize parental choice including, but not limited to, home schooling, private day care and/or nursery school.

CT PTA believes all children and youth should live in an environment free from avoidable physical hazards.

CT PTA recognizes studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and The Karolinska Institute in Sweden adding to the growing scientific evidence that low-level electromagnetic fields (EMFs) emanating from power lines, cellular and microwave towers, and other sources may promote cancer.

CT PTA encourages its units to provide information to members about the effects of EMFs on children and adults.

CT PTA supports legislation insuring that high tension wires, cellular and microwave towers, must be 1500 feet from an existing or new school, child care facility, or playing filed until scientific evidence of bioeffects of electromagnetic fields is conclusively determined to be safe, and that where existing wires, cellular and microwave towers need to be moved, the utility company or responsible agent be liable for the cost and not the local school district.

CT PTA recognizes that changes must be made within the public schools to provide an equitable and excellent educational opportunity for every child.

CT PTA recognizes that vouchers, tax credits, deductions, and other such funding sources do not provide the means for bringing about improvements in our public schools.

CT PTA supports public funds for public schools only and opposes using tax dollars to finance education vouchers for private and religious schools.

CT PTA opposes tax credits and deductions for elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for public and nonpublic school students.

CT PTA acknowledges that PTA’s are often called upon to finance programs and purchase needed equipment that tight school budgets will not allow, and each PTA must decide what it will do. If a public service is urgently needed and public funds are not immediately available a PTA may initiate and coordinate the service while encouraging public agencies to take over its financing and operation.

CT PTA believes that children must never be exploited or used as fundraisers door to door.

CT PTA believes that ultimately fundraising decisions must be made at the local level.

CT PTA advocates that funds should be allocated to support such projects as child health and safety, parent education and leadership development.

CT PTA recognizes that motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for young people, ages 15 to 20 in Connecticut and nationally.

CT PTA acknowledges that based on the miles driven, teenagers are involved in three times as many fatal crashes as are all drivers. Three factors work together to make the teen years so deadly for young drivers: inexperience, risk-taking behavior-immaturity and greater risk exposure.

CT PTA supports legislation which would grant sixteen and seventeen year old drivers a graduated drivers license that would limit the number of minor passengers in a vehicle unless accompanied by a parent or guardian.

CT PTA supports legislation which would restrict sixteen and seventeen year old drivers in the operation of a motor vehicle between the hours of 11:00pm and 5:00am unless accompanied by a parent or guardian or the travel is related to work or school.

CT PTA supports legislation which would increase the number of behind the wheel training hours for new driver’s licenses allowing for parents to provide for the additional hours of training.

CT PTA advocates for the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community and place of worship.

CT PTA acknowledges that within Connecticut, there exists an abundance of organizations which offer programs and services that promote the welfare of children and youth, including state agencies, town and municipal agencies, federal agencies, non-profit organizations and faith-based organizations.

CT PTA recognizes there exists no single, centralized resource of information about these programs and services.

CT PTA recognizes that a centralized resource of information about these programs and services would enable more parents and families to access them and benefit from them, thereby promoting the welfare of children and youth.

CT PTA encourages the use of public funds to develop and maintain a centralized resource of information about these programs and services, and to make this resource fully accessible to parents and families.

CT PTA recognizes that the education system in the state of Connecticut is based on the concept of local control. Local schools are run by local school boards and funded by local property taxes, fees and state aid.

CT PTA advocates local control of school districts.

CT PTA encourages its member organizations to be aware of how the local process works in their communities and where they can affect change.

CT PTA believes that developing between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social and spiritual education are of paramount importance.

CT PTA recognizes that local control of schools means that educational priorities may vary from town to town , but unless a problem is severe and state wide, legislation at the state level should not be used to attempt to solve the problems of a few local districts at the expense of the rest.

CT PTA acknowledges that legislation that creates new requirements for local education might negatively impact the budgets of local communities.

CT PTA acknowledges Lyme disease as a devastating disease which when not treated in early stages can lead to severe arthritic symptoms, neurological disorders, and cardiac problems.

CT PTA acknowledges the incidence of Lyme disease is increasing rapidly and has no reliable standardized diagnostic test for chronic Lyme disease.

CT PTA encourages funds to be provided for research on Lyme disease and other tick-borne illnesses, as well as developing a diagnostic test to confirm Lyme disease at any stage of the disease.

CT PTA encourages education of parents, school administrators, school nurses, the general public and improvement of education of physicians regarding prevention and treatment of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.

Successful and effective parent engagement requires parental involvement at every step of the education process.

It is critical that parents be involved in education reform from the earliest planning stages. Any legislation that requires the formation of a group to take action on an education issue must mandate a parent representative as a required member of that group.

Rationale: The research on the importance of parental involvement in educational success is overwhelming and yet parents are still often left out of the decision making process and only informed of after implementation. Seeking parental input after the fact is simply unacceptable.

Regardless of the issue-affecting children, parents must be equal partners in order to realize effective education for all children.

CT PTA recognizes the value of conflict resolution and peer mediation in the prevention of violence in our schools.

CT PTA encourages counseling; evaluations and advice with regard to violence prevention including but not limited to weapons incidences and urges parent involvement in these efforts.

CT PTA recognizes the value of school resource officers and encourages their employment in the schools.

CT PTA encourages public and private sector funding for early intervention programs, counseling and evaluations and school resource officers.

CT PTA recognizes the increase in suspension and expulsion of youth from schools in Connecticut in grades pre-K though 12.   

CT PTA recognizes the need to develop effective intervention and consultation strategies for children with respect to alternatives to suspension and expulsion.  

CT PTA recognizes progressive discipline as being an effective alternative to suspension in situations such as truancy, insubordination, profanity, and class cuts.

CT PTA encourages school districts to comply with the existing State and Federal law regarding the discipline of special education students.

CT PTA encourages school districts to reevaluate their policy for suspension and expulsion and to provide a means of alternative discipline with respect to maximum learning and missed classroom time.

CT PTA advocates that school districts should offer ongoing comprehensive staff development.

CT PTA encourages student instruction in the effective use of information technology using critical thinking skills.

CT PTA advocates that school districts should have access to satellite distance learning opportunities which will complement traditional classroom teaching.

CT PTA advocates that adult educational opportunities for technology be addressed.

CT PTA acknowledges that local school districts need help in funding technological initiatives and urges the Connecticut State Legislature to annually commit funding for technology.

CT PTA encourages developmentally appropriate Early Childhood initiatives.

CT PTA recognizes the growing body of medical evidence which points toward teen sleep deprivation. The amount of sleep, time of day, and circadian rhythms play a part in how prepared adolescents are to learn and affect teen safety. Medical research indicates that teens need an average of nine hours of sleep per night to avoid behaviors associated with sleep deprivation such as information processing and memory deficits, increased irritability, anxiety, and depression, hyper-sexuality, decreased creativity and ability to handle complex tasks. Risks with teen sleep deprivation include mood and behavior problems, increased potential of drug and alcohol use, and vulnerability for accidents.

CT PTA advocates for local Boards of Education to devise a plan to implement a later school starting time for adolescents thereby setting a high priority on the health and safety of its adolescent students and offer the students the opportunity to learn when they are most alert and receptive.

CT PTA advises its units to alert parents to the information available on this subject.

CT PTA recognizes the risk of carcinogens or chemicals, which cause reproductive or developmental toxicity.

CT PTA encourages notice of such exposures to be provided to people who will be exposed to such substances

CT PTA supports legislation, which would ensure that people are aware of exposures to known carcinogens, or chemicals, which are known to cause reproductive or developmental toxicity.

CT PTA has a history of supporting legislation that assists parents in protecting their children.

CT PTA believes that only the parent/guardian of a child may make the decision to serve alcohol to their own underage child/youth.

CT PTA supports legislation which prohibits any person from hosting an event or gathering at which alcohol is consumed by or dispensed to underage children/youth on public and/or private property unless said minor is in the presence of their own parent/guardian.