NEW HAVEN, Conn. – A public high school – deemed one of America’s best by U.S. News magazine – was the setting for a number of awards handed out by the Communist Party’s publication, People’s World.

The Communist Party’s information site reports three union leaders, Meg Riccio, chief steward of Local 35 Unite Here at Yale, Daniel Louis Durant, Jr., membership and community solidarity coordinator of AFT Connecticut, and Alberto Bernardez, Connecticut assistant director SEIU 32 BJ, were recognized with awards, dubbed “People & Nature before Profits.”

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“Opening the event, held on the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Communist Party USA, Connecticut chair Joelle Fishman’s call to action evoked the chants of recent protests,” according to People’s World.

“When courageous $15 and a Union fast food strikers stand in solidarity with Hands Up Don’t Shoot protests they are saying this is one struggle for dignity, for basic democratic rights, human rights and fairness. As Martin Luther King, Jr., challenged us to take on the triple evils of poverty, racism and war,” Fishman said, “we know it will take big change for our country to truly be of, by and for the people. To that we recommit today, inspired by the awardees and the people in the streets fighting for justice.”

A “fighting spirit of unity” was present as the communists celebrated “an intensive and successful election year, participation in the People’s Climate March in September, and a hectic week of pickets with fast food strikers and protests of police killings.”

Durant spoke about a “Community Bill of Rights” being presented by Hartford Rising to the Hartford city council.

They were enshrined in a resolution introduced by Councilman Joel Cruz and included:

* Education:  Every  child  in  Hartford  has  the  right  to  a  quality,  fully  resourced  and  funded  public education  in  their  own  neighborhood  and/or  community  that  they  do  not  have  to  apply  for.

* Housing:  All  Hartford  neighborhoods  must  have  clean,  fair  and  affordable  housing,  free  from hazards  (e.g.  lead,  asbestos,  blight,  etc.).  There  must  be  no  discrimination  of  any  kind.

* Jobs:  Every  working-­age  resident  has  a  right  to  a  family-­supporting  job  with  benefits  and retirement  options.  No  Hartford  resident  should  be  denied  employment  based  on  any  protected or  non-­protected  group  status  (e.g.  race,  ethnicity,  religion,  immigration  status,  or  ex-­offender status,  etc).

* Safe,  Sustainable,  and  Clean  City:  All  who  live  in,  work  in  or  visit  Hartford  have  the  right  to  a  safe, sustainable,  and  clean  city  that  all  can  be  proud  of.

* Healthcare:  Every  Hartford  resident  has  a  right  to  affordable,  quality,  and  accessible  health  care that  includes  access  to  healthy,  nutritional  food.

The teachers union was promoting the so-called “Community Bill of Rights” on its website.

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ProgressivesToday.com notes the event was held at a public school deemed by U.S. News as one of the best in the country.

“The Cooperative Arts and Humanities Public High School in New Haven, Connecticut, where the Communist event was held, was recently awarded a Silver medal in U.S. News ‘Best High Schools’ ranking,” the site reports.

The People’s World site describes itself as having a “special relationship” with the Communist Party USA.