LICORE
Long Island Caucus of Rank-and-file Educators
A social justice caucus of unionized Long Island educators. We believe in democratic, member-driven unions!
LICORE Guiding Principles
Democratic Unions
We believe in democratic unions where all members are afforded the opportunity to have their voices heard and to engage in all spaces where decision-making is taking place. Nothing about us without us!
Collectivity & Organizing
We believe that power comes from acting as a collective. Our goal is to promote the community as a whole rather than individual leaders. We build power by organizing one workplace at a time through building relationships around common values. A collective of organized schools on Long Island will give us the power we need to build the schools our students deserve.
Social Justice
We fight for schools, worksites, and communities where everyone can feel safe to learn, work, and live a life of joy and fulfillment regardless of race, gender, immigration status, class, ability, or sexual orientation. We believe educators and unionists have a moral obligation to challenge oppression in all forms.
LICORE Q & A
Q: What is a caucus?
A: A union caucus is a group of union members with a common aim or set of values. A caucus can be independent of the union(s) that its members belong to and are not subject to control by union leadership.
Q: If a caucus is a group of members with a common aim or set of values, what are the aims or values that LICORE is brought together around?
A: We are brought together by the belief that our unions should be democratic organizations whose focus is to organize at the rank-and-file level to fight for more just schools and communities. We believe our unions should be fighting not only for our working conditions and student learning conditions, but for social justice as well and that these issues are inextricably linked. To read our guiding principles, click here.
Q: Who can belong to LICORE?
A: LICORE is open to any K-12 unionized educator who lives and works on Long Island. This includes not only teachers and members of teachers unions, but any other unionized education workers including, but not limited to, aides, teacher assistants, bus drivers, school clerical workers, school custodians, or school food workers. Additionally, we welcome substitute teachers or student teachers whose goal is to work in Long Island’s public schools. Finally, all LICORE members should be committed to our guiding principles.
Q: What sorts of things does the caucus do?
A: Our agenda is decided by our membership. We have monthly membership meetings where we decide what issues we plan to take on and how we plan to do that. Additionally, we work to continue to educate ourselves around issues of social justice through a variety of means. We also have social gatherings as relationship building is crucial to building a strong foundation of solidarity with each other.
Virtual monthly meeting dates
can be found on our Google Calendar.
Upcoming Events
Check back here for updates or follow us on Instagram!
Past Events
The Long Island Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators stands in solidarity with a Comsewogue teacher who is currently under attack for creating a safe, inclusive, and supportive classroom for her students. Inflammatory and one-sided headlines seek to defame and slander this teacher’s good name and hard work.
In response to a rally taking place on Monday, March 6 at the Comsewogue School District, L.I.C.O.R.E. will be standing in solidarity with the LGBT Network and other allies who believe in the value of having safe classrooms for everyone.
The Long Island Caucus of Rank-and-File Educators believe in the importance of fighting for schools where everyone can feel safe to learn and work. We urge all Long Island educators and their allies to advocate for inclusive learning communities. We urge all districts across Long Island to provide the proper training for teachers and staff to support their LGBTQ students and families.
In February 2023, LICORE held a book club around George M. Johnson's All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto. We sent a donation to the Audre Lorde Project in honor of our reading. Click here to donate to ALP.
