A Powerful Week for Public Education
A Powerful Week for Public Education
Greetings,
Last Thursday, May Day, thousands of members held walk-ins at over 70 schools and hundreds of individual buildings, joined by higher ed siblings and members of the community. And then, in the afternoon, they showed up for rallies and marches across the state. It was inspiring to see the virtual wave of union members come together in defense of public education from one side of the state to the other. Check out some photos from around the state.
The following day, 1,000 members assembled in Springfield for the 180th MTA Annual Meeting of Delegates, the largest annual democratic gathering in the state. The delegates debated and approved our union’s annual budget, along with some important new business items – such as providing legal services for members around academic free speech and immigration rights issues, as well as launching a yearly LGBTQ+ conference for the upcoming fiscal year. This annual embrace of democratic decision-making – itself a state of resistance to the anti-democratic ideology of the current administration – was bookended by May Day and by the post-Annual Meeting march to support our UNITE HERE siblings fighting for a first contract at the MGM Springfield casino, and our own members in the Springfield Education Association demanding fair pay and paid family and medical leave from the district.
Next year, the Annual Meeting will be held in Boston at the Hynes Convention Center on May 8 and 9. Start planning now – far too many locals don’t send any delegates and therefore don’t have their voices heard. Let’s fill the Hynes!
Today is Educator Appreciation Day, a part of Educator Appreciation Week. We hope that from near and far, you will receive the appreciation you all deserve. While you are receiving well-deserved thanks, take a moment to take action to support public education and educators everywhere.
MTA Events, Opportunities and Solidarity Actions
Register for the 2025 Summer Conference
Now that the MTA Annual Meeting of Delegates is in the books, it is time to sign up for the MTA Summer Conference, scheduled from July 27 to 30 at UMass Amherst. If you have never been, I encourage you to give it a try. For many members, this is a rare chance to slow down and really dive into learning new skills and perspectives on being a union member, and it gives you a chance to make new connections across many locals. Go to massteacher.org/summer to check out the amazing offerings and sign up to attend.
RetirementPlus Update
The state House of Representatives completed its budget debate last week. During floor debate the MTA had a major victory with the adoption of language to create a new, one-time opportunity for teachers to enroll in RetirementPlus. This provision was added during the amendment process with the strong support of the MTA and is nearly identical to the version that passed the House at the end of last session. The MTA is urging members to contact their senators to ask that the Senate follow the House by including this critical priority in its version of the budget. Visit massteacher.org/retirementplus for more information.
Update on Public School/Higher Ed Funding
The budget also takes some meaningful steps to begin to address the funding crisis in our public schools. While there is still a long way to go, and the budget does not make meaningful progress on higher education, the work of our members across the state to draw attention to the underfunding of our schools and demand action led to real victories. These include a $460 million increase in Chapter 70 funding, providing $150 per pupil in minimum aid and Student Opportunity Act increases, an increase of $181.5 million for the Special Education Circuit Breaker, and a Regional School Transportation increase of $22.7 million. Read the details at massteacher.org/statebudgetnews.
Meeting the Challenge for Educators of Color
When: Wednesday, May 7, 3-4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual
The next event in the Retiree Speaker Series will focus on challenges experienced by educators of color. Featuring MTA members Phyllis Neufeld, Marguerite Foster-Franklin, Joe Zellner and Rhonda Hall-Reynolds, the discussion on Zoom will include the Mentoring of New Educators of Color program, a joint effort of the Retired Members Committee and the Ethnically Marginalized Affairs Committee. To register, visit massteacher.org/retired.
Send Postcards to Advance the Fiscal Crisis Campaign
Join preK-16 MTA members and community advocates as we engage in a statewide postcard campaign to address the fiscal crisis. This is an opportunity to influence the legislature to provide the funding that our public schools, colleges and universities deserve.
Postcards are available at all of the MTA regional offices. Postcards need to be completed and brought back to an MTA regional office by June 5. More information is forthcoming about the delivery of these cards to the State House. For questions or to request a specific order of cards to be sent to your local, email fiscalcrisis@massteacher.org.
Defending Our Democracy Briefing
When: Wednesday, May 14, at 5 p.m.
Where: 729 Boylston St., Suite 2000, Boston
Please join Defending Our Democracy for a special briefing by Free Speech For People, a public-interest law organization, presented by Lichten & Liss-Riordan. The guest speaker is John Bonifaz, a constitutional attorney and the co-founder and president of Free Speech For People. For more information on the organization, visit www.freespeechforpeople.org. Please RSVP for the event by Tuesday, May 13 to Lisa Chang at lchang@freespeechforpeople.org.
MTA Benefits Webinar: Dealing with Economic Uncertainty – Financial Planning 101
When: Wednesday, May 14, 4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual
Financial confidence is essential for your overall well-being. This webinar from MTA Benefits and Stacey Braun Associates will help you gain understanding of your personal finances and craft a plan for yourself, and will cover topics that include setting financial goals, budgeting and credit, investment basics and education funding and retirement planning. The webinar will be led by a certified financial planner from Stacey Braun Associates who will not sell insurance or financial products, and is not affiliated with any 403(b) companies. Register now.
Weekly Radio Segment with Max
Listen in to my weekly radio segment on WHMP’s “Talk the Talk” show. Last week, I spoke about our May Day actions, and an important report about the new study that highlights the $2.5 billion provided for public education and transportation through the Fair Share Amendment, while also debunking the myth that Question 2 would prompt millionaires and billionaires to flee our state.
Political Education
At the Annual Meeting this past weekend, I quoted from a book I just finished reading by Jason Stanley, “How Fascism Works.” If you have read Timothy Snyder’s “On Tyranny,” this is a great step deeper into the subject. Stanley reminds us that fascist regimes are fundamentally and aggressively anti-education:
“Fascist politics seeks to undermine public discourse by attacking and devaluing education, expertise, and language. Intelligent debate is impossible without an education with access to different perspectives, a respect for expertise when one’s own knowledge gives out, and a rich enough language to precisely describe reality. When education, expertise, and linguistic distinctions are undermined, there remains only power and tribal identity.
“This does not mean that there is no role for universities in fascist politics. In fascist ideology, there is only one legitimate viewpoint, that of the dominant nation. Schools introduce students to the dominant culture and its mythic past. Education therefore either poses a grave threat to fascism or becomes a pillar of support for the mythical nation. It’s no wonder, then, that
protests and cultural clashes on campuses represent a true political battleground and receive national attention. The stakes are high.”
In solidarity,
Max and Deb