A helpful message from the AFT: “The announcement made on September 5 terminating DACA is a betrayal of the values of our diverse and welcoming nation. We will continue the struggle and fight for the safety and well-being of the over 800,000 beneficiaries of DACA, undocumented immigrant youth, refugee, unaccompanied children and their families who have made America their home.”

Resources:

#1. There are about 200,000 DACA recipients whose work authorization expires by March 5, 2018, and they have until October 5, 2017 to submit their renewal paperwork. DACA recipients who do not submit their renewal paperwork run the risk of losing their work authorization. We have less than two weeks left to raise awareness. United We Dream, Catholic Legal Immigration Network and other organizations across the country are hosting DACA renewal clinics, providing free legal support for DACA renewals. There are also national and state organizations providing financial support to cover the $495 renewal application fee.

#2. It’s critical that we continue the drumbeat for a permanent legislative solution by passing a clean DREAM Act without added enforcement measures that put our DACAmented colleagues, undocumented students, and their families at risk of deportation. The DREAM Act is the only vehicle that offers a pathway to earned legal status for the beneficiaries of DACA and undocumented students who were brought to the US as children. The AFT has an action alert already set up. Please sign and share!

#3. Resources: Please use these new AFT resources for educators and faculty to help provide clear guidance of the phaseout of DACA. Share far and wide:

BTU Organizing Committees

To learn more about BTU Organizing Committees or join online visit the BTU website or contact Farah Assiraj, Director of Organizing, at fassiraj@btu.org.

For the following meetings, please RSVP with Jonathan Rodrigues at jrodrigues@btu.org:

  • ELL-SLIFE Committee: Tuesday, September 26 at the BTU, 4:30-6:30
  • Unafraid Educators/Immigrant Rights: NOTE DATE CHANGE: Thursday, October 5 at the BTU, 4-5:30 PM
  • Inclusion Committee: Monday, October 2, 5-7 PM at the BTU
  • SEL Committee Meeting: Tuesday, October 3, 4:30-6:30 at the BTU
  • New Educators Social: Thursday, October 12, 4:30-7 PM at Blarney Stone.

For the following meetings, please RSVP with Shanika Houlder at shoulder@btu.org:

  • Restorative Justice Committee: Tuesday, September 26, 5-7 PM at the BTU
  • Early Ed Committee: Monday, October 2, 4:30-6:30 PM at the BTU

REGISTER TODAY! BTU Leadership Conference: October 13-15

Please register for the 2017 BTU Leaders Conference for Building Reps and member leaders! Read details and register today!

Restorative Justice Learning Community Circles

Are you interested in participating in The RJOC Learning Community Circles this year? We’d like to hear from you. Please select the top three topics that interest you.

Linda Darling-Hammond to Speak at Wellesley College on October 19

Author of the best-selling The Flat World and Education: How America’s Commitment to Equity Will Determine Our Future, Linda Darling-Hammond will discuss her 2014 book Beyond the Bubble Test and argue that less testing with more authentic assessments can support students’ critical-thinking and problem-solving skills and give teachers, schools, students, parents, and society helpful information they and we need. Free and open to the public. Read more. Save the date and tell your friends!

Leventhal Map Center Fall Events

The Leventhal Map Center has many events and exhibitions coming up this fall. Check out their calendar.

Progressive Education Network Conference in Boston: October 5-7

Please plan to join the Progressive Education Network for their PEN 2017 National Conference which will take place from October 5-7 in Boston.