Member Testimonials

Dear BTU Team,

I would like to share this experience I had with the Broward Teachers Union.

About a year ago, I had not yet passed one of my certification subarea exams, and I was feeling unsure about how to better prepare. I reached out via email to Shafeza Moonab, who supports educators with certification and professional development.

She responded with helpful guidance and provided me with valuable resources and information on where to find study materials. Her support gave me direction and helped me feel more confident in my preparation.

Thanks to her guidance, I was able to successfully pass my exam. This experience meant a lot to me because it showed how the union not only supports us in the workplace, but also invests in our professional growth and success.

I truly appreciate her willingness to help and the dedication she shows in supporting educators through the certification process.

In solidarity,

 

Carmen Contreras

World Languages Department

Spanish teacher

Cypress Bay High School

Dear BTU Team,

About a year ago, I reached out to the union because I was worried about not having passed the subarea test required for my professional certification. I was feeling anxious about the situation. Liliana Ruido kindly assisted me, guiding me on what steps to take and providing contact information for additional support. Her help made me feel calm and supported during a stressful time.

Thanks to her guidance, I passed the subarea test and am continuing my process toward earning my professional certification. This experience reminded me how important it is to have a strong union that truly supports educators at every stage of their careers.

Best regards,

Carmen Contreras

World Languages Department

Spanish teacher

Cypress Bay High School

I love my union and truly appreciate the strength, support, and advocacy it provides. Being part of a collective voice that stands up for educators, protects our rights, and works tirelessly for positive change makes me proud to be a member.

Yvonne Moniz

EP member since 2009

Thank you for fighting for us because BTU is the only entity that does fight for us!

Deborah R. Greenberg

ESE Support Facilitator

Beachside Montessori Village

(754)323-8050

Our union President, Anna Fusco, has repeatedly made herself available to speak with me about a host of various issues, questions, and concerns. She even returned my call on a Friday evening at about 7:30pm and was subsequently followed up with a call on Saturday morning. Thank you Anna and BTU for being present to stand up and fight for the “Boots on the Ground” team players that we all are.

Mathematically….

Best Regards,

Isabella Barnett

Mathematics Educator

The Broward Teachers Union has supported me in many meaningful ways throughout my career. They have been there not only during times of need when I had concerns with administration, but also when I needed guidance and clarification regarding my contract. When I began my career 20 years ago, I

was part of a group of surplus employees who were later furloughed due to being an elective teacher. The union advocated on my behalf and worked to help ensure that I was placed back into my position so I could continue teaching. In addition to supporting individual cases like mine, the union consistently fights to protect our rights, including maintaining access to quality insurance benefits and ensuring that contractual agreements are upheld. They also provide ongoing support by answering questions, offering guidance, and representing teachers’ voices in negotiations. Overall, the union serves as a strong advocate that helps protect teachers professionally, legally, and financially while ensuring we have the support needed to focus on our students.

Jennifer Shapiro

Art, Reading, ESE & ESOL

NAHS Sponsor

BTU Steward

South Broward High School Jennifer.d.shapiro@browardschools.com

I am thankful and proud to be a union member. Things could’ve been worse for me this year and maybe for many years to come but, thank God and also thank to union reps Specialist Head Start and all other level, specially Miss Fusco. Congratulations for your strength and endurance to stand up by our sides in every matters. Thank you..

May God bless you for us..

Yvelyne Marcelin

BTU member

Head-start T.A

As a teacher who works outside of a traditional K-12 classroom, most state legislative incentives such as compensation for classroom materials and some bonuses specifically exclude me and my colleagues. Years ago, when a state bonus was issued only to K-12 teachers and we were excluded, the union advocated for us and other similar teachers behind the scenes within the district and just a few hours before we planned to speak before the board, Anna informed us that the district would find the money from district sources to ensure all teachers would be compensated fairly. If we hadn’t had the union to negotiate for us collectively, we would have been on our own- and our only recourse would have been individual pleas to the board during a school board meeting. I’m pretty certain we would have all lost out on that money without the union’s support and negotiation.

I’ve never had a personal issue where I’ve needed the union’s support, but I love knowing that I have that guidance and protection if needed. I appreciate that the union takes care of fighting for our rights and salary increases so I can just focus on teaching!

Shannon Polich

5th Grade Team Leader

Sawgrass Elementary

Dear BTU Team,

I’m proud to share my experience because I know firsthand how important the union is.

Over the past few years, I’ve been in situations where expectations were unclear, workload demands increased, and decisions were made that did not always align with our contract. In those moments, the union made the difference. BTU helped me understand my rights, guided me on how to document concerns, and gave me the backing I needed to address issues professionally and confidently.

Because of that support, I was able to advocate not just for myself, but for my colleagues. Without the union, many of us would be left trying to navigate these situations alone, and that is when boundaries get crossed and expectations become unreasonable.

The union is not just there for major issues. It protects our time, reinforces our contract, and ensures there is accountability at every level. That directly impacts our ability to do our jobs and support our students. It also protects essential parts of our workday like planning time and a true duty-free lunch so we can actually sustain the demands of this job. It also fights to protect our benefits while the district looks for ways to shift costs, especially with things like healthcare. The raises we have received are stronger because of the union’s advocacy, and without that collective bargaining power, we would not see the same level of increases. Our contract also protects things like paid sick leave, which could easily be reduced or eliminated without it.

Being part of BTU means having protection, guidance, and a voice. That is something every educator deserves.

In solidarity,

Christopher Meehan

Science Teacher

BTU Steward

Lyons Creek Middle School

Broward County Public Schools

Good afternoon,

The Broward Teachers Union helped me through a tough time when a student accused me of “slamming their head into a wall” to my administration when I was simply moving his chair to the timeout area of the classroom for cursing, disrupting, and drawing profane pictures on the desks. I wasn’t ever questioned or interviewed by my administration, just got called in and given a letter with a reassignment location with no explanation. I unfortunately was given probation for two years and had to sit in “teacher jail” at the textbook warehouse for over half the year. The Union was there with me every step of the way. I was found not guilty of any wrongdoing (but still had to pay probation fines and take extra courses even though they had no evidence of wrongdoing) and that student was expelled while I was in teacher jail for another incident on campus.

It is what it is nowadays, I guess, but thankfully the Union was very supportive and helped me through every step, and I couldn’t have done it on my own without their support.

And I returned back to my classroom this school year and have a great group of students in 7th grade math. They’re loving the new VR Prisms and of course my Casino Day when we wrap up probability standards.

Photos are attached.

Thank you very much BTU.

In Solidarity,

Craig Bohn

Sunrise Middle School

7th Grade Math

(754) 322-4700