Summer Political Action Opportunities

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Updates on Payment Issue

We hope that you enjoyed the holiday weekend for the 4th of July! Beyond the fun, fireworks and barbeques, Independence Day celebrates a people’s willingness to unite despite their divisions to rebel against a seemingly insurmountable force committed to persecution in order to protect its interests. We celebrate Boston’s early patriots so that we may remember we possess the same power.

City of Boston Payment Issues

We know that the payroll issue last week tested members’ patience as the City of Boston worked to resolve the paycheck issues over the weekend. No one should have had to experience the financial stress caused by this situation, and we will continue to pressure the district and the City to ensure that incidents like this do not happen again.

At this time, we have been informed that all payments have been processed, and most banks were able to process the payment before Monday. However, we are also hearing that some members may have received two payments. If so, one of those payments may have been pending and will likely be reversed. If you received two payments, please reach out to payroll so they can work with you on a resolution, and inform your BTU field rep if it remains unresolved.

Additionally, if you incurred any overdraft fees as a result of the delay, please fill out this form so we can assess the full impact and advocate for appropriate remedies on your behalf.

On Wednesday, June 25th, BTU members joined fellow educators from across Massachusetts on Beacon Hill for the first-ever AFT Massachusetts Lobby Day. More than 150 AFT MA members from school districts across the state decided to kick off their summer by engaging directly with state lawmakers to advocate for the passage of increased public school funding, improved wages for all paraprofessionals/school-related personnel as well as a reform to the state’s Retirement Plus system so that educators who dedicated their careers to public service will be able to receive the benefits they have earned.

These meetings with local lawmakers are even more essential to our mission of improving public education as it has become clear that educators in Massachusetts can no longer rely on the federal government to implement education policy that prioritizes student need rather than the capricious ideological fixations of the current president.

For example, the Trump administration on June 30th blocked the distribution of $7 billion dollars in funds allocated by Congress to support after-school programs, multilingual learners and educator professional development across the country. The funds were supposed to be sent to school districts on July 1st and the Trump administration has yet to provide any further clarity on why funding was halted or when it could be reinstated. This arbitrary decision right before the deadline has been opposed by the AFT and will impact the budget, hiring and service delivery of districts across the country, including a hit of millions of dollars to the Boston Public Schools.

As will the Supreme Court’s decision on June 27th which has now severely limited a teacher’s autonomy in the classroom. The ruling sided with a Maryland couple who sued their local school district, arguing that their religious beliefs were violated because they weren’t given the option to pull their child from story time when LGBTQ literature was discussed. While this ruling could cause disruption, the BTU is heartened that the Boston Public Schools issued a reminder that BPS will continue to foster a safe, welcoming, and inclusive learning environment for everyone, which will always include LGBTQ+ students, staff, and families.

Things are moving fast in our nation, and we urge all of our members to remain involved. Rest and recuperation are important and we strongly encourage you to take time to enjoy your hard-earned break but also to carve out some time to stay politically active this summer. The BTU’s Election Action Team (BEAT) will be coordinating with local candidates to host phone banks, canvassing and further voter outreach. Fill out this form if you’re interested!!. This Saturday offers an opportunity to start getting in the habit. City Councilor Brian Worrell, who was endorsed by the BTU, will be holding a campaign event this Saturday. Check out the flyer below for more details.

Also on Wednesday, June 25th, the BTU held its second ever BTU History Digitizing Day in collaboration with researchers and archivists at UMass Boston. Active and retired teachers came to the BTU to sit for personal interviews regarding busing, school closures, and inclusive education as well as contribute historical documents to a digital archive. Since 2018, the BTU has collaborated with UMB to maintain a digital archive to document the union’s history and provide research materials for scholars. We’re thrilled to continue supporting this project so keep an eye out for information on future events. Thank you to all of the volunteers who supported this effort and to the UMB staff who recognize the importance of documenting our union’s impact on Boston’s history.

Speaking of UMass Boston archives, we encourage you to check out their exhibit on the Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School in Dorchester which will be open to the public until December 5th. The school’s students and staff were highlighted in a Boston Globe article last week, which covered the school’s history and the community impact the closure has had. Thank you to all of the educators and students who made the Frederick community such a special place.

BTU Political Organizer and Admin Assistant Positions Open

The BTU is seeking applicants for two positions: political organizer and administrative assistant. You can access the job description, salary details and responsibilities for the political organizer position here.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying to the administrative assistant position, then please read through the application and send your resume to Secretary-Treasurer Karen Cross at kcross@btu.org.

BTU Events and Announcements

The BTU ABA Educator Group has been engaged in productive discussions around the vision and requirements for successful ABA programming in BPS over the course of three meetings so far. The work will continue this summer with two additional meetings – July 14th from 4-5pm on Zoom, and August 18th from 4-5pm on Zoom. If you are not yet on the calendar invite and would like to be, please reach out to Madison Kronheim (madisonnkronheim@gmail.com) or Katie DeLaRosa (kdelarosa@btu.org) to be added.

Early Childhood Co-Planning Drop In July 29 12:00pm-4:00pm and August 26 8:00am-12:00pm

Early Childhood Lesson Planning Sessions: Time to lock in for SY 25-26 with co-planning drop in sessions in July and August! This is an opportunity to reflect on your teaching and the curriculum from SY 24-25 and start planning for this year with your colleagues. BYO instructional materials, refreshments provided. Fill out this form if you plan to attend. Contact Caitlin Gaffny cgaffny@btu.org with any questions.

Summer Organizing Institute August 13-14!

Join us “Meeting the Moment, Building the Movement” our annual Summer Organizing Institute open to all BTU members to help build our skills to organize and bargain; dive deep on the issues impacting our schools; and take action together in a fun and engaging two days of sharing and learning. RSVP today!

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk: Join the BTU Team on October 4^th!

The BTU is once again organizing the BTU Walkers for another year of walking and fundraising in support of the effort to eradicate breast cancer. Each year, the BTU provides a shuttle bus from the BTU Hall to the Hatch Shell so volunteers can participate in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk on the Esplanade. Check out more information here and search for the BTU Walkers Team to register with our group!

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.

• Test pilot a high school science unit and bring UMass Boston researchers into your classroom
• Nuestros Niños Professional Development Program
• Isabella Gardner Museum PD Opportunity
• New Fellowship for Impact in Early Childhood Policy
• Stipend Opportunity for Bilingual Educators
• Bullying Intervention Specialist Training
• Maintaining a Restorative Community Training
• New Fellowship for Impact in Early Childhood Policy
• Stipend Opportunity for Bilingual Educators
• Bullying Intervention Specialist Training
• Maintaining a Restorative Community Training

Community Events

Transforming Writing Instruction: A Summer Teacher Institute with WriteBoston: July 28-30, 9am-4pm

This summer, join WriteBoston for an immersive, three-day professional development experience designed for high school ELA, Social Studies, and Humanities educators. Observe real-time instruction at Teens in Print’s Summer Journalism Institute, reflect on identity and pedagogy, and collaborate with fellow educators to walk away with practical, meaningful writing assignments for your classroom. Course cost is $300 and participants are eligible for 20 PDPs or 1 graduate credit from Bay Path University. Learn more information here.

BTU in the News

The AFT published an article on how labor leaders from across the country are uniting to urge the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to adopt nationwide heat safety standards that will also continue to apply to public sector employees and indoor workplaces. BTU President Erik Berg testified before OSHA in support of the regulation, recalling the inequity of when his elementary students were expected to prepare for state testing on 90 degree days in an 110 year old building without air conditioning.

Thank You for Reading

Please send your comments and questions to us at bulletin@btu.org, or call the BTU at 617-288-2000.