MTA Red Sox MVE
The MTA Red Sox Most Valuable Educator program is back again this season, with educators, school staff, coaches and school volunteers being recognized on the field before Red Sox home games.
More DetailsSupreme Court Can't Silence Us
Supreme Court Can't Silence Us
Barbara Madeloni,
President
Greetings,
Any day now, the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down its decision in the Janus v. AFSCME case — an attempt by the Koch brothers and other corporate interests to bust our union. The court is widely expected to rule against working men and women, thanks to President Donald Trump's appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch. Win or lose, however, on the day the decision is handed down we want to loudly and clearly proclaim our commitment to our union and to the rights of working men and women everywhere. Our message is this: The Supreme Court can rule against us, but it can't take away our union and it can't silence our voice.
Any time between now and the day of the Janus decision, please take a picture of yourself and your union sisters and brothers holding a sign that simply says UNION. When the decision is handed down, post it on social media. Decisions are generally handed down on Mondays, but the ruling could be issued any day. Let's flood social media with one message: You can't scare me — I'm stickin' with the union.
Build Union Skills at the Summer Conference
The MTA Summer Conference is a great place to build union skills to organize against bullying bosses, fight for full funding for public schools and colleges, address racism in the workplace and the classroom, run for office, push for single-payer health care, develop solidarity across the state, and more. You can hear from a leader of the West Virginia educators' strike and an educator from United Teachers Los Angeles about organizing a possible strike in the fall. All this takes place in the beautiful Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Go here for more information and to register.
Fighting Back Through the Media
The MTA hit the trifecta on letters to the editor over the past week, as Fall River Educators' Association President Rebecca Cusick, Westwood educator Neil Kulick and yours truly all had letters published in The Boston Globe. The letters by Rebecca and Neil addressed the absurd idea being floated by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of having computers score MCAS essays, while I took on the Globe editorial board for supporting MCAS even though a large majority of educators, parents and students reject high-stakes testing.
Fight Computerized Essay Scoring and More Testing Madness
As Rebecca and Neil pointed out, computer scoring of student essays represents a bizarre and dangerously dehumanizing doubling down on the madness of standardized tests. More and more people are speaking out about this nonsense and are ready to take action. Join us this Sunday, June 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MTA headquarters in Quincy to deepen our organizing against high-stakes testing. Register here. Bring friends and colleagues.
We Are Not Alone: Join the Community in Standing Up for Education
High-stakes testing, school funding, debt-free college and other critical public education issues will be the subject of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance convening on Saturday, June 23. Join with other educators, parents, students and community organizations to build our power and claim our vision for public education and the funding we need to achieve that vision.
Feel the Pride on June 9
Come out for Boston Pride on Saturday, June 9. It's great fun to march behind an MTA banner in support of the LGBTQ community. Come celebrate our awesome diversity — and feel the love for educators from this community.
Honor Our Own with a Chance at Red Sox Tickets
Speaking of pride: Nominate a public school employee or volunteer to be an MTA Red Sox Most Valuable Educator and take a chance on winning Red Sox tickets for yourself and your nominee. To enter, write an essay of 500 words or less about why a teacher, an ESP, a coach or a school volunteer you know should be recognized as an MVE. The educators selected and the people nominating them will each receive a pair of tickets to a Red Sox Saturday home game this summer, and the MVE will be recognized during pregame ceremonies. Entries to the program must be postmarked by June 30. Go here for details.
Solidarity,
Barbara
Any day now, the U.S. Supreme Court will hand down its decision in the Janus v. AFSCME case — an attempt by the Koch brothers and other corporate interests to bust our union. The court is widely expected to rule against working men and women, thanks to President Donald Trump's appointment of Justice Neil Gorsuch. Win or lose, however, on the day the decision is handed down we want to loudly and clearly proclaim our commitment to our union and to the rights of working men and women everywhere. Our message is this: The Supreme Court can rule against us, but it can't take away our union and it can't silence our voice.
Any time between now and the day of the Janus decision, please take a picture of yourself and your union sisters and brothers holding a sign that simply says UNION. When the decision is handed down, post it on social media. Decisions are generally handed down on Mondays, but the ruling could be issued any day. Let's flood social media with one message: You can't scare me — I'm stickin' with the union.
Build Union Skills at the Summer Conference
The MTA Summer Conference is a great place to build union skills to organize against bullying bosses, fight for full funding for public schools and colleges, address racism in the workplace and the classroom, run for office, push for single-payer health care, develop solidarity across the state, and more. You can hear from a leader of the West Virginia educators' strike and an educator from United Teachers Los Angeles about organizing a possible strike in the fall. All this takes place in the beautiful Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. Go here for more information and to register.
Fighting Back Through the Media
The MTA hit the trifecta on letters to the editor over the past week, as Fall River Educators' Association President Rebecca Cusick, Westwood educator Neil Kulick and yours truly all had letters published in The Boston Globe. The letters by Rebecca and Neil addressed the absurd idea being floated by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education of having computers score MCAS essays, while I took on the Globe editorial board for supporting MCAS even though a large majority of educators, parents and students reject high-stakes testing.
Fight Computerized Essay Scoring and More Testing Madness
As Rebecca and Neil pointed out, computer scoring of student essays represents a bizarre and dangerously dehumanizing doubling down on the madness of standardized tests. More and more people are speaking out about this nonsense and are ready to take action. Join us this Sunday, June 3, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MTA headquarters in Quincy to deepen our organizing against high-stakes testing. Register here. Bring friends and colleagues.
We Are Not Alone: Join the Community in Standing Up for Education
High-stakes testing, school funding, debt-free college and other critical public education issues will be the subject of the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance convening on Saturday, June 23. Join with other educators, parents, students and community organizations to build our power and claim our vision for public education and the funding we need to achieve that vision.
Feel the Pride on June 9
Come out for Boston Pride on Saturday, June 9. It's great fun to march behind an MTA banner in support of the LGBTQ community. Come celebrate our awesome diversity — and feel the love for educators from this community.
Honor Our Own with a Chance at Red Sox Tickets
Speaking of pride: Nominate a public school employee or volunteer to be an MTA Red Sox Most Valuable Educator and take a chance on winning Red Sox tickets for yourself and your nominee. To enter, write an essay of 500 words or less about why a teacher, an ESP, a coach or a school volunteer you know should be recognized as an MVE. The educators selected and the people nominating them will each receive a pair of tickets to a Red Sox Saturday home game this summer, and the MVE will be recognized during pregame ceremonies. Entries to the program must be postmarked by June 30. Go here for details.
Solidarity,
Barbara
