Yes to Vision and Stability, No to Receivership
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BOSTON TEACHERS UNION, LOCAL 66, AFT Non-Profit Org. SAVE THE DATE! 180 Mount Vernon Street U.S. Postage Boston, Massachusetts 02125 PAID th Boston, MA 75 Anniversary of the Permit No. 52088 Boston Teachers Union BBOSTON TEACHERSU TUNION Saturday, October 3, 2020 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 52, Number 7 • March, 2020 President’s Report Jessica J. Tang Yes to Vision and Stability, No to Receivership ome time in February, the Depart- nificantly more funding from the state, leadership, consistent funding, and a Sment of Elementary and Secondary thanks to SOA. The chronic shortfalls strong focus on instructional practices Education (DESE) will have released the in funding stemming from Common- where we support educators and cater first draft of the Boston Public School’s wealth charter school expansion over the to the needs of our students. With stabil- District Review. BPS has ten days to last two decades can account for many ity and consistency, our graduation rates review it and make any factual correc- of our schools’ challenges, which will be will also improve. There is much more Jessica J. Tang tions. Shortly after, it will be available to offset by these incoming funds. that our schools need, and our union is a BTU President the public. Over the last seven years, Boston has large part of the solution. Although the review is conducted seen five superintendents — each with On the other hand, DESE has already advantageous for Boston public schools. regularly every twenty years or so, we their own agenda, campaigns, and pri- intervened in Boston and has an average As plans by the new Commissioner hear that it may have significant implica- orities. After a stable stretch with Carol track record, at best, featuring disruptions are unveiled, we will have to stay vigilant tions for our district this time around. Johnson, she was followed by interim caused by “turnaround schools” as well as in understanding what they may mean The report will shine a light on needed superintendent John McDonough as the receiverships of the Holland and the for Boston, our students and educators. areas for improvement — in some cases an interim, who was then followed by Dever. Both schools have struggled under We must be ready to fight once again to fairly and in others unfairly. Tommy Chang, before being replaced by receivership, the Dever bearing the brunt save our schools. Not from Question 2 There has been discussion that the Laura Perille as another interim. Now, of the intervention with five principals in this time, not from Janus, but from DESE report may be used as the basis for either after another thorough search, we have three years and three different receivers and the forces that continue to under- full state receivership, as has occurred in Dr. Brenda Cassellius. — the latest announced just this month. mine the democracy of our public educa- Lawrence, Holyoke, and Southbridge, or What we need now, more than ever, With an unsuccessful track record of tion system and pave a path for privatiza- partial receivership through so-called is time and stability to implement and receivership, in Boston and across the tion. It is our time to show our strength, “Empowerment Zones,” as has taken realize the exciting vision outlined by state, it is hard to believe that DESE show our solidarity, and demonstrate place in Springfield. Employing either Dr. Cassellius. We need strong, stable intervention of any kind will prove to be who we are and what we stand for. full or partial receivership powers in Boston has been discussed at the DESE board meetings and suggested by two Boston Globe editorials already. The fact BTU Supports Black Lives Matter at School of the matter is, Boston needs neither. What Boston needs is stability under its current leader, Dr. Brenda Cassellius, who has laid out a plan to position BPS for success. She has only been on the job for eight months, during which she has proven to be collaborative and has shared a new strategic plan that we can get behind. She is an experienced educator who understands policy from her time not just as a Commissioner herself, but as a superintendent, teacher, principal, and paraprofessional. Superintendent Cassellius’ plan, among other things, provides needed attention on instruction and academic supports, on wraparound supports, and on building trust with the community. We look forward to working with the superintendent to implement these ini- tiatives so we can begin to see the ben- efits in our schools and classrooms. The plan also directs central office leaders to focus on teaching and learning instead of gutting academic departments and eliminating critical coaching positions as has been the case in the past. BPS is also poised to benefit tremen- dously from new sources of funding. The mayor has just made a new $100 million investment in our schools over the next Samara Britton, a paraprofessional from the Young Achievers Science and Math Pilot School submitted this picture. She says, three years and the Student Opportunity “My school has and is participating in the ‘Black Lives Matter at School’ movement. We as educators are super excited to Act (SOA) was passed last year. In a few teach beyond the curriculum to educate our inner city youth about their history.” More ‘Black Lives Matter at School’ photos years, the district should be receiving sig- on pages 4 & 5. Peer-to-Peer Lauren Clarke-Mason with Anne Slater Can You Define Support? Oh, I get by with a little help from my Once, I asked my children for some head I envisioned the perfect help team antics, probably taking bets for the date friends. support in the kitchen. I was preparing like the magical mice in the Cinderella when I’d burn out. Foolishly, I thought Gonna try, with a little help from my for our huge Labor Day cookout to cel- story that were able to tidy up the house that I had to do everything myself or I friends. --The Beatles ebrate my mother’s birthday. Besides the in seconds, however, my blanket state- wasn’t good enough to be a teacher. H H H H H H H H H H H regular grilled foods my husband had ment, “I need some help here,” did not Instead of feeling capable, I felt the upport is such a nebulous word. You covered, I had about three different dish- clearly communicate the specific type of opposite. I found the support I needed Scould ask about 25 teachers what es going on at once; a measuring cup full help to my hungry workers. support means to them and get about 27 of marinade for the prepped portobello Had I been more detailed different answers depending on the day, mushrooms, a slow cooker full of baked or more clear, perhaps I the hour, and situ- wouldn’t have felt so frus- ation. One of those trated and annoyed as I did words you can’t quite that afternoon, though, I’m articulate, but you sure they would have eaten know exactly what just as much either way. it is when you see it. Another thing I’ve It is possible to see learned over the years is the exact model of how asking for help is not support you want or weakness. Just because you need from afar, like need a hand up, it in no way across a hallway or suggests you are unable to across the city and get up. People are much more willing when a veteran teacher invited me into still not be able to to help when you ask directly instead her classroom after school just for a share the same vision of huffing, sighing, or wearing a weary conversation. That one welcoming act with your colleague pouty face around the teacher’s room. turned into an unofficial after school or teammate or even a family member. beans in the pantry, cupcakes in the oven Asking is an essential part of the support mentoring program that made a huge Simple as a conversation over a cup of tea and a sink full of dishes. What I wanted process. In my early days, I’d plan, craft, difference in my teaching practice. I was or as complicated as a behavior plan for was my boys to load and unload the create, implement, assess all the lessons able to ask questions and gain insight to a student in crisis, support may come in dishwasher, clean out the sink, and leave with few scavenged materials to adapt all the things I wondered and worried the shape of a bandaid for a lesson plan like their pants were on fire so I could for multiple learning levels as if I were about alone. Slowly, I began to feel like that needs tweaking or a tourniquet for continue to prepare. What I got was three the Teacher Formerly Known as Prince. a part of the school community. Most a classroom out of control. We say it in cupcakes eaten as soon as they came out I would wordlessly struggle on, sitting in importantly, through asking questions education often, mostly when we feel we of the oven, a taste tester I didn’t ask for my cubicle of a classroom until the night and asking for advice, I received the sup- are struggling and determine that sup- sampling baked beans, a hug and a miss- custodians kicked me out. My colleagues port I needed to help me stay in the pro- port is indeed missing.