STATEMENT FROM BOSTON TEACHERS UNION IN SUPPORT OF RALLY FOR SAFE IN-PERSON LEARNING FOR HIGH-NEEDS STUDENTS
BOSTON, MA – The Boston Teachers Union released the following statement in support of the rally hosted by parents advocating for high-need students at City Hall:
“BTU educators are fully supportive of the priorities supported by the SpedPac members and by families of high-needs students, as they mirror our own priorities regarding the need to ensure safe learning environments for in-person services. We, as both educators and as parents ourselves, agree that safe, high-quality, in-person learning is essential, particularly for high-needs students, which is why we’ve offered concrete proposals to BPS officials since the spring in order to make that happen.
We have collaborated with parent groups, including SpedPac and the Boston Education Justice Alliance, in order to furnish proposals to BPS officials that would help facilitate safe, high-quality, in-person learning for high-needs students. Once adopted by BPS officials, our proposals, which are informed by parents and educators of high-needs students, will pave the way for the safest possible in-person learning experience for high-needs students.
BPS needs to take immediate action to agree on and implement the plans, priorities, and safety guidelines that are jointly supported by so many educators and families who are also seeking the predictability that would come with a safer and more intentional long-term plan for how BPS will support and staff the in-person learning experience of its high-needs students.
By adopting our proposals – which have been informed by families, students and educators – BPS would improve the learning experience of the general student population by appropriately allocating resources and personnel in a more intentional manner to in-person learning and remote instruction activities, with the safest possible ratios of adults-to-students in buildings in order to help reduce the viral footprint.
Some of these jointly supported plans for safe, in-person learning have been on the table for months, and we continue to advocate for them through the HIPP task force we advocated for and that BPS just recently agreed to. We specifically asked for parents and students to be a part of this task force so that stakeholders are able to join us in our advocacy for our high needs students, and we are glad that BPS agreed to including those voices.
– Jessica Tang, President, Boston Teachers Union
About the Boston Teachers Union:
The Boston Teachers Union proudly represents more than 10,000 teachers and other professionals, including school nurses, psychologists, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers. Together, we advocate for the interests of students, parents, and education professionals throughout the Boston Public Schools. We support investment in public education to ensure a stronger future for our students and our city. As a union of educators, we are part of a movement that seeks to improve all working people’s quality of life. We are united against all forms of prejudice and bigotry that would seek to devalue our students, families, or colleagues’ lives or liberties.