n “What can we propose
through bargaining that would bring
back some joy and reduce stress?”
“More than two-thirds of our
members responded to the survey,
and we had a great response from
schools that had not been active in
the association before,” Najimy said.
“An important thing we learned at
the summit concerned the need to
close the feedback loop. We made
sure members heard the survey
results and knew what we were
bringing to the table.”
Ideas that surfaced in the
Concord negotiations included a
reduction of student data collection
and an increase in educator control
over curriculum and instruction.
The MTA summit grew out
of member-led forums in which
educators have articulated their
vision for what public education
should look like and what
obstacles block its realization.
“Our members could see that,
across the country, educators are
facing the same struggles and
assault,” Madeloni said. “To hear
how other unions tackled these
problems building by building,
in coalition with the community
and by bringing big issues to the
table, was an amazing education
in what is possible. I am looking
forward to following up with the
participants and claiming similar
victories here in Massachusetts.”
To see more photos from the
bargaining summit, please visit
flickr.com/mtacommunications.
Continued from Page 12
Bargaining summit
offers key lessons
for MTA locals
J;ust;three;days;before;the;first;round of PARCC testing was to begin in March, the MTA learned
that teachers were being told they
had to sign an extensive “security
agreement” in which they had to agree
that failing to live up to the lengthy and
detailed test administration protocols
could lead to serious sanctions.
Teachers were insulted that, in
essence, they were being told they
had to pledge in writing not to cheat
or to allow students to cheat — as if
they would not live up to their normal
professional responsibilities unless
they signed.
They were also troubled by the
fact that the agreement was on PARCC
letterhead, but otherwise the identity
of the other party was unclear. Was
it Pearson, which produces the tests?
Was it the Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education? Further,
teachers could not understand how the
new requirement was being handed
down when they had not had a chance
to bargain over its impact.
The MTA responded quickly,
informing members of their right to
bargain over the security agreement
requirement and sending a letter to
Education Commissioner Mitchell
Chester urging him to rescind the
demand.
Chester responded to the MTA
within hours, concluding that signing
the agreement was optional.
“As always, test administrators
and other school personnel involved in
the administration of state assessments
are expected to follow the policies
and protocols for test security and
administration,” Chester wrote.
“Teachers, however, do not have to
sign the PARCC Security Agreement
in order to proctor the test.”
MTA President Barbara Madeloni
was pleased that the issue was resolved
quickly, but she expressed caution and
Continued on next page
