“We have been at the negotiating table since February, and now that we have been working for 95 days without a contract, it is time to come to an agreement that meets the needs of our students and our educators.
First, the district’s failed inclusion plan is not providing students with the services they need from the additional educator they deserve. We support fully staffed inclusive classrooms that provide students with disabilities the opportunity to learn and thrive in the least restrictive environment. It is past time for Boston’s schools to join the schools in every other district in the state and ensure that the services required by IEPs in Boston are provided by a separate special education provider, and not rely on classroom teachers to do multiple jobs.
Second, you have heard in the past and you will hear tonight, of the struggles that Boston’s educators face to make ends meet. The cost of food, heat, medical care, and services have gone up dramatically in the past several years, and the cost of housing in the Boston area is through the roof. Yet starting pay for a classroom paraprofessional in many of Boston’s schools is just under $30,000 annually. This is no way to treat these hardworking employees, most of whom are women of color, and who form the backbone of our schools day in and day out.
In short, our message to you tonight, School Committee members and Superintendent Skipper, is, let’s settle a contract that we deserve. “Don’t make our educators, students and families settle for less.”