Published On: November 7, 2024

Dear Member,

All the months of weekend volunteer shifts, after-work phone banks, early morning stand-outs and lit drops have come down to tomorrow. We all need to vote as if our future and our children’s future depends on it, because it does.

The BTU is ALL IN for a YES vote on Ballot Question 2, which will take Massachusetts a step closer towards its goal of offering an equitable
and exceptional education to ALL students in the state.

A Yes On 2 vote would remove MCAS as a graduation requirement and replace it with standards established by educators, community members and local officials which evaluate all of a student’s skills—not just their ability to pass a one-size-fits-all standardized test.

These high stakes testing situations create significant stress for all students—and stack the deck against students of color, English language learners, and those with learning disabilities. This emphasis on a single test undermines our high education standards and forces teachers to teach test-taking skills instead of critical thinking and individualized learning.

Locally, we have endorsed a slate of candidates who understand the importance of their impact on education policies in the face of potential federal influence. You can see the full slate of our endorsed candidates in the image further down in this email. Make a plan to vote! Talk to your colleagues, friends, families and neighbors. Every vote counts.

Nationally, a Harris/Walz administration would increase funding for public schools, strengthen labor rights and affirm core tenants of our democratic system. A second Trump administration would be disastrous for democracy, workers’ rights, and public education in general. The Trump/Vance ticket is being guided by the Project 2025 agenda, which calls for the end of public employee unions, the dismantling of the federal Department of Education, and the gutting of programs which support our most vulnerable students and their families.

Again, vote as if your future and your children’s future is on the line. Because it is.

Contract Actions: Negotiations, Walk-ins, and School Committee Testimonies

Last week, the BTU negotiating team and representatives of the district met for the 24th collective bargaining session of this contract process. The district proposed increasing the workday of some BTU members by 23% with NO additional pay. This is not the proposal of an administration that sees employees as important partners, and it is clear that we need all BTU members to step up and show BPS that we mean business. You can see a summary of the session below:
The BTU negotiating team and representatives of the district met for the 24th bargaining session last week. The district proposed major changes to NACC testers which the BTU countered with far more reasonable working condition proposals. The BTU and the district also discussed paraprofessional and COSE positions. Negotiations will resume November 14th.
We encourage you to register to attend our next negotiation session on November 14th. The BTU is also in discussions with the district on meeting for a full-day session on a weekend in November. Stay tuned for those details.

The next round of school walk-ins is also scheduled for November 14th. Last week more than 10 schools participated in this action, which is an opportunity to build solidarity within your building, show the district our commitment to our contract priorities, and also engage with the public to explain the stakes and the goals the BTU is pursuing.

We have more than a dozen schools signed up for next week’s action, which follows our plan of focused and strategic escalation. If your school wants to join an upcoming walk-in, please first check in with organizer Erika Kouka (ekouka@btu.org).

Our organizers provide materials for these walk-ins, BTU staff members attend to support, and we also provide advance notice to media organizations in order to ensure that our efforts have maximum impact. You can check out some of the news coverage we’ve received in the BTU in the News section on our website.

In addition to Throwdown Thursdays, Walk-ins, negotiation session attendance, the BTU has also consistently supported our members testifying before the school committee. At least 5 members have testified each week since the beginning of the school year.

If you want to testify at an upcoming school committee meeting about the importance of reaching a contract agreement that meets the needs of educators and students, please email BTU organizer Jonathan Rodrigues

BTU office staff and members will be at polling stations across the city tomorrow. We hope to see you there casting your vote in support of democracy, public education and progress.

#BTUVOTES!!!
The BTU proudly endorses these national and local legislators for re-election. Check out the Boston city website for more information on voting!

BTU Events and Announcements
Racial Justice Standing Committee Meetings: First Tuesday of each month. The Racial Justice Standing Committee will meet the first Tuesday of every month from 5-7pm. This year, the committee has set two goals: 1) to provide racial justice training for building representatives; and 2) to create a protocol for union members and building reps on how to address racial harm. If you are interested in joining us, or if you would like to receive updates about this work, please contact co-chairs Lea Serena (lserena@btu.org) or Paul Tritter (ptritter@btu.org).

Para 101 PD for newly hired paraprofessionals: Multiple sessions in October, November and December

Para 101 is about building a community of paraprofessionals who are knowledgeable about their rights and are aware of the support and strategies that they can use to build stronger relationships with students and teachers in the classroom. Please see this flyer for all of the dates and details.

BPS Phishing Simulation Emails: Monthly

The Boston Public Schools has invested in cybersecurity education tools to support BPS staff with staying alert and safe online. As part of this education campaign, BPS will send monthly phishing simulation emails to staff starting this month. Phishing scams are common scams that target users via email. Watch this video to learn more about ways to spot phishing scams.

Inclusion Done Right Committee Fall Forum: November 19th, 5:30 – 7:30pm

Educators, families, and community partners are invited to a forum hosted by the BTU Inclusion Done Right Committee. The agenda for the forum is to plan and advocate for inclusion done right in the SY25-25 school budget. The forum has both an in-person and virtual option. In person is at the BTU Hall. Light dinner will be provided. Childcare and interpretation are available by request by November 12th. Registration is required for the virtual option to receive the Zoom link. Please RSVP for either option by November 12th at bit.ly/IDRForum.

November Unafraid Educators Meeting: Monday, 11/25, 4:30-6PM

Please join us at Fenway High on November 25th at 4:30 for our next Unafraid Educators Meeting! We are the BTU’s Immigrant Rights Organizing Committee, and work to support our students and families. At our next meeting we will create fundraising pages for the Unafraid Scholarship and continue working on the College Guide. We’ll have pizza, salads, and snacks for everyone.

Boston Teachers Union Student Debt Clinic: December 3, 4:30-6:00 pm The BTU is continuing its series of webinars on college student debt support and relief programs. Please register ahead of time

Tremont CU & BTU Blood Drive: Wednesday, December 11th 11:00AM-5:00PM Tremont Credit Union and the Boston Teachers Union are joining forces with the Boston Children’s Blood Donor Center to host a community blood drive. Join us on Wednesday, December 11th, from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 180 Mt. Vernon Street, Dorchester, MA 02125. This is a wonderful opportunity to make a difference and help save lives. We recommend scheduling an appointment to ensure a smooth experience.
From left to right: BTU Political Director Johnny McInnis, BTU Secretary-Treasurer Karen Cross, BTU President Erik Berg, and former BTU President and AFT MA president Jessica Tang attended a YES On 2 rally this past Saturday.

Professional Learning & Development Updates

Each week, we have many new and exciting Professional Learning & Development opportunities to share with you. You can find a full description of each listing on our Professional Learning & Development Updates Page.

  • AFT Member Benefit Virtual Workshops
  • Degree Completion
  • Teaching About Desegregation Busing in Boston: A Conversation About the 50th Anniversary with Educators
  • Early Childhood Inclusive Education PD Series
  • High School IM Learning Site: November 15, 8:30am-1:30pm
  • Thinking Through Art Winter Institute
  • SLIFE Educator Connect & Share
Join the BTU, parents and community members for a meeting to collaborate and set goals for next school year’s inclusion priorities. Register here!
Community News & Events

Busing in Boston: A Conversation About the 50th Anniversary with Educators November 18 from 4:00-6:00

The Boston Desegregation and Busing Initiative is co-sponsoring this event with UMass Boston at the UMass Boston Campus Center, 3rd Floor Ballroom. This event is a part of a series dedicated to examining the history and impact of busing in Boston 50 years following Judge Garrity’s decision. Learn more at www.bostondesegregation.org

BPS Mayor-Student Townhall: Nov. 12, Bolling Building

Are you a Boston Public School student dealing with issues in your schools around bad facilities, lack of mental health support, insufficient career or college counseling, nasty lunches, or more? Tell the MAYOR about it in-person at her BPS Student Forum coming up this Tuesday November 12th from 4:30pm-6pm. Students, make your voice heard and speak with the Mayor directly. Please fill out this form!

Walking Tour of the Key Events of Boston School Desegregation and Busing offered for the BPS community

Join this walking tour on Nov. 12 at 4:30, starting inside of the Boston Athenaeum at 10 1/2 Beacon Street, to learn more about the key events of this tumultuous time. More information here

Multilingual Education in MA: Building the Bilingual Educator Pipeline: November 12, 7-8:30pm “Building the Bilingual Educator Pipeline” is the last of three webinars exploring multilingual education in Massachusetts, hosted by Citizens for Public Schools. Speakers, including BTU President Erik Berg, will discuss the challenges, obstacles and opportunities to training, hiring and supporting bilingual educators in Massachusetts. You can register and learn more here

 

Bringing 100 Years of MFA Photography into the Classroom: Thur., Nov. 14, 4:30–6:30PM at the MFA

Educators across disciplines and grades are invited to join this workshop to learn a brief history of the collection as a whole—“fine art photography” as well as photojournalism, scientific photographs, land surveys, and more. Hear from curators, view art in the galleries, and explore the many ways you can bring this content into your classroom. Light refreshments and discounted parking available.
BTU in the News

BTU Executive Board Member and Boston Latin Academy educator Michael Maguire, who has taught for three decades, wrote an opinion piece in the Boston Herald explaining how MCAS test scores are not an accurate reflection of a student’s comprehensive knowledge and capabilities.
In Memoriam

Thomas Kerr, father of BTU member and Paraprofessional Council member Todd Kerr, passed away peacefully last week. Thomas Kerr was a longtime member of Pipefitters local 537, where he served in multiple leadership roles, and eventually became an International Representative of the United Association for Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters in Washington DC until he retired. You can find more details of his life and memorial services here.

Share This Story!