The signatories of this statement wish to express their appreciation for the support for school psychologists shown by President Duffy and his Team.  

This Team is forward-looking, hard working, progressive and politically astute in working with parents, community groups and organizations, other unions and specialty groups within UTLA.  Through this dynamic and focused approach, they offer the kind of support for student success that we all desire.  We have benefited in specific ways as below:  

• Thanks to the support of President Duffy and his Team, we now have a School Psychologists Standing Committee in the UTLA House of Representatives so that we can represent ourselves in negotiations with regard to issues specific to us while still being represented on more general issues by the Health and Human Services Standing Committee;

• Duffy has written a strong letter on our behalf to the American Psychological Association disputing their proposal to recommend to states that Masters level school psychologists no longer be able to use “psychologist” in designating their professional identity;

• One of Duffy’s first actions upon taking office as President of UTLA was to meet with concerned school psychologists to hear their issues and develop plans to deal with them;

• .Duffy has since attended numerous meetings with school psychologists and has specifically asked to attend our Article XXX Negotiations Committee meetings.

This level of support for, and appreciation of, school psychologists has not been seen prior to this time.

A.J. Duffy, and the entire United Action Team, is endorsed by over 200 psychologists and these leaders of the psychologist unit:  

Geri Kenyon (Psychologists Chapter Chair)  
Deadra Bouligny (Psychologists Chapter Co-Chair)

Jan Murdock                       
Julie Shoenfeld                                   
Rachelle Lavender
Robert Vasquez                                   
Verna Suarez                                       
Ta-Taneisha Thames

VOTE UNITED ACTION!