What Unites Us

Being a member of Teachers Unite consistently refreshes my energy and excitement about teaching & learning.

our mission

Teachers Unite is an independent member-led organization of New York City public school educators working alongside students and parents to end the school-to-prison pipeline, organize for racial and economic justice, and transform public schools to meet the needs of young people.

our principles of unity

We believe in collaborative leadership and grassroots democracy. We build this democracy through the use of restorative practices in schools, which embodies and models this form of organizing.

We work in alliance with youth and parents to build this democracy in our schools. We use restorative justice to build those alliances.

We are part of a movement to abolish the prison industrial complex (PIC) and challenge “the belief that caging and controlling people makes us safe.” (Critical Resistance)

We resist the PIC by promoting belief in, and practice of, transformative justice as well as advocating for systemic change of how public schools contribute to the PIC.

We see structural racism and capitalism as the core of the problems in public education. We recognize restorative justice as a historical tradition of resistance developed by communities of color – from undocumented immigrants to First Nations. We chose to use restorative justice to honor this tradition and build from this long-standing history.

We believe that the NYC public education system should be democratic and reflect the communities it serves. We see the NYC DOE, and the UFT as being the major systemic institutions at play in our education system.

We believe in popular control of schools. We believe that public schools should be funded entirely by the public, governed by the public and accountable to the public.

our vision

We work to grow a movement of educator-leaders who collaborate with parents and students to abolish mass incarceration as well as transform public schools into caring communities that empower students to develop their skills to their fullest potential.

We envision a democratic teachers union that stands against racism and systems of oppression.

We demand a public education system governed through popular control, where each school is grounded in the needs, values and collaborative decision-making within its community.

Grow the Movement

Join our community, strengthen your organizing skills, and demand dignity for NYC schools.

Become a Member