Please write to your representatives and senators to support Massachusetts bill H1845/S1217, legalizing strikes after 6 months of negotiation. This bill would save money and preserve community goodwill. It would give public servants an effective democratic voice.
This long strike could have been avoided. The NTA went for 16 months without a contract before voting to strike. Members went unpaid for 15 days. The Newton School Committee (including the mayor) abused its access to NPS email lists, sending out charged and biased political “updates” which set families against teachers. Chris Brezski ranted that teachers had “locked children out of school” accusing the governor of doing this during the pandemic. If not for the governor’s intervention, the strike would likely continue.

Disturbingly, some wealthy people added havoc, suing the NTA. The vastly underpaid behavioral aides who directly serve their children were a major focus of the strike. Wealthy families have no alternative for special education except through public schools – private schools don’t support it. Perhaps the city of Newton should seek alternative funding possibilities for the public schools like Watertown has, as the Chamber of Commerce suggested.

Children, schools and teachers have become political footballs. Stop the nonsense. Support H1845/S1217.

Darcy Schultz

West Newton

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