We hope you all had a nice long weekend. On Monday, we honored Indigenous Peoples’ Day, this time officially codified in our union contract! It’s important that we take time to reflect on this holiday’s significance and honor indigenous heritage right here at home – before it became Boston, the Massachusett people referred to this area as “Shawmut”, meaning “place of clear waters.” Check out ShareMyLesson for resources to teach your classroom about indigenous communities.
If you couldn’t make our Student Debt Clinic last week, AFT is hosting more virtual clinics as well as offering resources for those who need to learn the landscape of free and underused federal programs that help many student loan borrowers lower their monthly payments and, in some cases, even have their debt forgiven. Remember: the waiver on PSLF requirements expires Oct. 31.
Our October membership meeting is TODAY, October 12 at 4:30 p.m. It will be an in-person meeting. You do NOT need to register, though, as always, you should bring your BTU card for admittance. (We will have a problem-solving table for those who do not have their card, but you must bring a photo ID or BPS pay stub.) If you need childcare, please register here.
There are less than 4 weeks left before the November midterm elections. In Massachusetts, there are several important races and ballot questions. There are many ways to get involved in making your vote count and helping to get out the vote. Check out the special election bulletin to learn more and please remember to vote Yes on 1 and Yes on 4! We are hosting paid phone banks on Tuesday nights by Zoom. Contact Roberto Jimenez to join.
Last chance to register for the annual BTU Fall Conference from Oct 21-23 at the Seacrest Beach Hotel! Our goal is to have as many schools and committees represented at this conference as possible. If you are interested in getting more involved and developing your leadership in this union, this is the right opportunity for you! Come to meet new people, to learn from the workshops, and to have a great time. No more hotel rooms are available but you can still register to join for the day. Register today at btu.org/fallconference.
Finally, we are reeling from the recent gun violence that has affected our community. It is important to affirm that educators, parents, students, administrators, and the community are in strong agreement that all schools must be safe places to learn and to teach. We will continue to advocate both for a strengthened school safety plan as well as for the social-emotional and mental health supports that are needed for the Burke, all of our schools and the larger community in this difficult time and moving forward.