Charter Fights Heat Up in New Bedford and Haverhill

Greetings,

The election results remind us of two things: (1) Love trumps fear; and (2) The billionaires will not back down from their agenda to maximize their profits and exploit our labor.

The overwhelming victory on Question 3, to protect transgender rights, was a battle born from love and was the affirmation of the right of all people to be included and to have their liberties protected.

Question 1, which would have set safe patient limits, was another illustration of the wealthy interests coming in to confuse voters, divide communities and bust unions.

Charter School Interests Are Back in Force in New Bedford and Haverhill
In New Bedford, the Alma del Mar charter school is asking to expand by 1,188 seats and Global Learning is seeking to add 100 seats. If approved, these expansions would cost the New Bedford Public Schools roughly $15 million a year, on top of the more than $14 million the district already loses to charter schools.

In Haverhill, the national Wildflower chain is seeking to open a 240-seat Montessori charter school. The district already loses more than $3 million a year to a Montessori charter school. Haverhill has one of the lowest per-pupil expenditures in the state and needs more funding, not less.

We must meet the charter school industry with the same force that we showed in the No on 2 campaign in 2016. We do so by continuing to build our relationships, member to member and with students, families and communities, the way the New Bedford Educators Association is doing with its partners in the New Bedford Coalition to Save Our Schools.

NBEA members, parents and community residents are working as a team in NBCSOS neighborhood forums, talking with each other about the needs of their students, their ideas for how to improve their schools and the threat that charter schools pose. They are building a foundation for a permanent relationship that will aid the New Bedford community in sustaining a local movement that will fight for the schools our students deserve.

Read more about the New Bedford fight. The NBEA is asking MTA members to send emails to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education at charterschools@doe.mass.edu stating their opposition to this undemocratic charter school expansion.

In Haverhill, the Haverhill Education Association is asking supporters to attend a public hearing on Dec. 3 to show their opposition to diverting public funds to yet another privately run charter school.

Come to a Summit on Reimagining Bargaining on Dec. 1
Over the past few years, we've made important strides in how we bargain contracts. The 2018 MTA Bargaining Summit will build on this important work. All are welcome to join us to hear stories, gather resources and learn new strategies to win on the issues that matter to our members, students and communities.

In solidarity,

Merrie