It was both timely and expedient to celebrate the legacy, hopes, and vision of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. this weekend. As we face new challenges and remember both how far we have come and how far we still need to go, Dr. King’s words remain relevant in difficult times:
But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars.
As we continue our collective commitment and a renewed fight for educational, racial, economic, and social justice, we will continue to focus on the bright spots as we work towards our vision of a society where all are truly welcome.
One of our greatest tools for school improvement is through contract negotiations. Last week and last night, our Collective Bargaining Committee met to pore over and analyze input from thousands of our members. The group will meet again before presenting the initial proposal, which will be voted on at our February membership meeting.
Our BTU All-In campaign continues, as we celebrated 100% participation last week at dozens of schools and programs. Our goal is 100% in all of our schools by the end of March! If you haven’t signed the new card, please be sure to do so at members.btu.org or with your Building Rep.
While we prepare for our new contract to go to press for hard copies, we are now able to confirm that the retroactive pay will be effective in the February 9 paychecks. (Initially, the city had projected by the end of January.)
Lastly, we wanted to share that we have been in conversations with the BPS about the possible changes in school configurations and closing of middle schools and met late last week after the news broke. They have assured us that there will be no changes for the following school year and that we will be involved in any plans that impact our schools moving forward. We will continue to insist that impacted stakeholders be a part of a thoughtful process where our knowledge and expertise are valued and taken into consideration. See coverage from the Boston Globe on the issue.
We will keep everyone posted on developments and opportunities to weigh in on plans as we monitor any potential changes.
Have a great week.