Last week was very busy, with an incredibly successful Week of Action that culminated in a car caravan and rally at City Hall to deliver our reopening proposal to the Mayor’s office.If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to check out the Facebook livestream of the event! This union came together in just under a week to organize a mighty showcase of the power of our community. While there is now more time to plan during PD Sep 8-18 and the district has taken some of the simultaneous teaching out of the “hopscotch” plan, there is still much more to be done. We’re extending our deepest gratitude to the rank and file educator activists who helped to organize this effort and to everyone for your solidarity and indelible spirit as we continue to advocate and speak up!
We were glad to see that much of the feedback from our reopening task force committees was incorporated into the new version of the BPS reopening plan – it’s a better plan because of the input from educators on the ground. We still have serious concerns about the hopscotch model and questions about the remote learning plan, but most importantly, the district needs to immediately announce that we will be returning remotely first, with a phased in return for students most in need of in-person services.
The decision is long overdue and parents, students and educators need to be able to plan and prepare for the restart. We are making it clear that our negotiations are not holding up the district’s decision—we need a decision now, so that we can best plan for a remote start with a phased in hybrid approach for the students who are most in need of support. We hope to continue to work with the city and district to get this restart done well and provide the highest quality education possible during this pandemic.
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WE NEED TO HEAR FROM YOU: Please fill out our second survey for members in our member portal.
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The BPS indicated in yesterday’s MOU negotiations that it has no plans to offer any additional leave opportunities or alternative work options for employees due to the pandemic other than the options that are guaranteed by law and our contract: reasonable accommodations for those eligible through the Americans with Disabilities Act, leaves of absence through the FMLA, BPS policy or the contract, and leaves of absence through the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. For information on those options, please see the links below.
While we continue to advocate for a remote start and voluntary in-person options, if you are unable to work in person in September, please refer to these circulars and, if appropriate, apply. We suggest contacting the BPS Equity office first to see if accommodations can be made before applying for a leave. The BPS has not indicated it will offer employees remote work options or a leave from working in person without applying for and qualifying for the following:
- Policy Families First Coronavirus Response Act for Non Emergency Responders
- EQT-7 Accomodating Employees
- HRS PP-13: Absence and Leave Policy Circular
- FMLA Form WH-380-E: Employee’s Serious Health Condition
- FMLA Form WH-380-F: Family Member’s Serious Health Condition
- Leaves of Absence FAQ
- Boston Public Schools Human Capital Website
Lastly, we need you at our statewide action happening tomorrow, at 3:00pm! We’ll be co-hosting a socially distant standout with the Massachusetts Teachers Association and AFT Massachusetts, calling on Governor Baker to take action in support of safe and healthy public schools and colleges. This action will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, August 19 at 3 p.m. at the State House. You can RSVP and learn more on Facebook.
We will be sending out a regular bulletin later this week, and will resume our previous schedule of regular bulletins every Tuesday morning next week. Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox!