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October 2020 BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66, AFT Non-Profit Org. ATTENTION! 180 Mount Vernon Street U.S. Postage th Boston, Massachusetts 02125 PAID 75 Anniversary of the Boston, MA Boston Teachers Union Permit No. 52088 Celebration Party BBOSTON TEACHERSU postponed until TUNION October 16, 2021 75 EVERYONE ¡TODOS IS SON WELCOME BIENVENIDOS BBOSTON TEACHERSU HERE! AQUÍ! TUNION BT U BT U The Award-Winning Newspaper of the Boston Teachers Union, AFT Local 66, AFL-CIO • Volume 53, Number 2 • Oct.-Nov., 2020 President’s Report Jessica J. Tang “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” s news of Supreme Court Justice • Sign up for the BTU Political Activ- doors) in Maine or New Hampshire, ARuth Bader Ginsburg’s passing ist list please also contact Roberto. He is work- dominated the weekend of Rosh Hasha- • Join the BTU Electoral Action Team ing full time on all 2020 election effort na, it was easy to fall into despair during (BEAT) to: and is here to assist all of our members in a time when, those of Jewish faith, were • Help us recruit volunteers at your organizing and getting involved. supposed to be celebrating a new year. As school or worksite. In addition, we will be setting up we mourned both the loss of an incred- • Organize the members in your BTU-specific phone banks a few times ible justice who was integral to so much neighborhood or community. a week where anyone can join and make Jessica J. Tang of who we as social justice educators After you have recruited members phone calls. These calls will mainly be to BTU President stand for and also a symbol of justice and to participate, ask them to recruit more other AFT households, or to other union progress critical to the tenuous balance people. Every volunteer makes a differ- families. If you want to do get involved that are critical to bringing in others to on the Supreme Court, it was hard not to ence! in a way that is not on this list, please call join us. feel at a loss. Please call or email our new BTU or email Johnny McInnis and Roberto To get involved today, please contact: However, it is Ruth Bader Ginsburg Political Organizer Roberto Jimenez to Jimenez, and we will help you make a • Johnny McInnis, BTU Political words herself that must give us solace learn more about how to get involved difference. Director: [email protected] or 617- and the strength to keep going. “Fight for (603-260-9448, [email protected]) Again, this is the time not just to 433-0488 the things that you care about, but do it If you feel comfortable doing socially mourn, but to organize. If we heed Ruth • Roberto Jimenez, BTU Political in a way that will lead others to join you.” distant in-person canvassing or litera- Bader Ginsburg’s words, we must begin Organizer: [email protected] or In remembrance of her, and in honoring ture drops (leaving printed materials on by having the one to one conversations 603-260-9448 her legacy and everything she continues to stand for, we must keep fighting and fight in a way that we will continue to build power and bring others in to join us. We cannot just mourn, we must con- tinue to organize, fight and win. This means not only for educational justice, BBOSTON TEACHERSU but for the social, racial and economic TUNION justice issues that impact both our abil- #BTUVotes#BTUVotes ity to teach well with the resources we need and those that impact our students, families and BTU members livelihoods and wellbeing. This means that in the new few days, we have a responsibility to do all we can do to right the balance of justice. Women’s rights, labor rights, stu- dent rights, and our public education system are now in peril if Donald Trump appoints a new Supreme Court Justice before the people have a say in who our next President will be. We must defeat Donald Trump and take back the U.S. Senate, and the BTU is All-In to make that a reality. Now, more than ever we need all of our members to do their part. The BTU will be supporting the national efforts of our affiliate, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) primarily by focusing on New England, which means ensuring that Joe Biden wins New Hampshire and Maine, as well as electing Sara Gideon to the U.S. Sen- ate to replace Senator Susan Collins in Maine. Our power as a union comes from our ability to mobilize thousands of mem- bers, so we ask that you think about your capacity in the next few weeks and do everything in your power to help us win this election. Here are ways that you can help us to organize and fight back today: • Sign up today for AFT Phone Banks See BTU’s Endorsed Candidates on page 8. The BTU Hits the Campaign Trail! 2 | BOSTON UNION TEACHER | October-November, 2020 Know Your Rights Caren Carew What are Some of the Health Measures Contained in the BTU/BPS Memorandum of Understanding? PS will provide publicly available work their regular contractual hours • Alternative instruction provided in Bweekly reports on incidents of infec- every Wednesday, whether remote or a safe environment. tion by school. in buildings. Wednesdays will include The BPS partners with the BPHC synchronous & asynchronous learning When are School Site Council (Boston Public Health Commission) opportunities for students that require Elections & Meetings Held? who will monitor key data metrics so the sufficient time on learning to account for Caren Carew BPS can plan & respond appropriately a full day of instruction. Employees shall he School Site Council (SSC) is the Tcentral governing body of the school BTU Secondary to public health issues that arise. Criti- receive their full pay & benefits as pro- Field Representative cal metrics are measured citywide & by vided in the CBA (Collective Bargaining under the school-based management/ shared decision-making model. The con- neighborhood as a 7-day trailing moving Agreement/BTU contract) & as adjusted • approve waivers average which will include: daily number by this MOU. tract stipulates; “Elections for new SSC members shall be conducted as early in • review & approve recommenda- of positive tests; daily percent of positive During the time of COVID-19, each tions of Instructional Leadership tests, and daily visits to emergency rooms staff member will record their atten- the school year as possible [by October 15], and a first meeting of the new council Team (ILT) that will have a major with COVID-19-like symptoms. BPHC dance/absence electronically at or before effect on the school community will post these metrics on its public- the start of the work day as instructed shall be held no later than October 31st.” At the first meeting, a monthly calendar • review & approve recommenda- facing website twice a week. BPS will link by BPS. BTU members will enter their tions from any other committee or from its website to BPHC metrics. BPS absences into the Substitute Online should be agreed upon by the SSC mem- bers for the entire school year and be made group that’s established to recom- will provide sufficient translated direc- (SubCentral) program to request daily mend changes that will have a major tions on BPS website to ensure BPHC coverage and into ESS system for payroll public through distribution to all staff and parents. Any change must be approved by effect on the school community metrics are readily understandable by purposes. • receive information about all out- BPS community. All teachers will be required to use the SSC with at least one week’s notice to all staff & Parents. SSC Meetings should side programs or outside profes- If citywide COVID-19 positivity rate Google Classroom and/or SeeSaw for sionals that come into the school rises above 45 citywide, BPS will transi- each of their classes, unless BPS recom- be at times convenient for all members & times may alternate to meet this goal. • review & comment on entire school tion to full remote learning for all stu- mends use of any improved program. budget, including the General dents, and BTU bargaining unit mem- Google Classroom will be available for What is the Basic Roles Fund & External Funds budgets, bers will have the option to be remote as all teachers, grades K0-12 & SeeSaw will of the School Site Council in a timely fashion. Upon written well. When BPHC or another City/State be available for teachers of students in request, SSC members shall be authority determines BPS can reopen, grades K0-6. (SSC) and the SSC Personnel provided with written or electronic BTU members will be expected to return BTU members are expected to report Subcommittee? copies of school budgets to BPS buildings. all facility concerns directly & immedi- The role of the Personnel Subcommit- Free COVID-19 tests are available at ately to the school’s principal/HM/direc- he School Site Council (SSC) is the Tcentral governing body of the school tee of the School Site Council shall be: sites around Boston. If the COVID-19 tor. (Please do so in writing and make Governed by the contract & is composed positivity rate is at or above 8% (double sure the BTU Reps maintain this list to under the school-based management/ shared decision-making model, & is of two of the elected BTU members of the citywide metric) in any neighbor- be able to report it to the BTU).
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