On May 6, Boston Latin School faculty voted for the School’s six allotted representatives for the Boston Teachers Union (BTU), who attend monthly meetings and sometimes negotiate contracts.
BTU is the smaller of two major teachers unions in Massachusetts, with members in Boston and surrounding towns such as Lynn, Lawrence and Salem. It aims to create better teaching environments and give teachers a voice in policy decisions. Each school’s elections, which are accessible to all faculty members, are held in May outside of school hours.
BLS Latin teacher Mr. John Kerpan was chosen for one of these positions, the number of which are granted based on school size. While negotiations with Boston Public Schools can be difficult, he wishes there was not so much pushback against the existence of unions, as he has seen how much work they do to create positive teaching environments
His overall experience as a representative has felt effective, especially in the school community. He shares, “At BLS, the teachers and the administration are largely on the same page,” which allows for productive discussion and change-making. Though many assume that the union focuses on educators only, the BTU also advocates for students, even supplying housing for homeless children.
Elections for the president of the BTU will also commence as the current leader, Jessica Tang, steps down from the presidency and takes over the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Massachusetts, a branch of the national union. Mr. Kerpan shared that she was successful due to her organizing skills and enthusiasm for bringing people together towards one goal. Elected in 2017, Jessica Tang was the first LGBTQ+ person to hold this position and will be the first person of color to head the AFT Massachusetts.
Lea-Antoinette Serena is the BTU’s elementary representative and acts as a support person for elementary school teachers in organizing and negotiating contracts. She echoes Mr. Kerpan’s sentiment and says, “[Tang] supported the union in becoming less of a service model and more of an organizing model.”
Serena explains that her biggest interest in education is advocating so that teachers can be their best possible selves for students. She continues that Tang’s identity led to “more diversity in leadership at all levels” because, “in a city that serves [many] students of color […], we should have educators and leaders who look like our students.” Seeing a woman of color in such a high position inspired Serena to get involved.
Vice president Erik Berg will take over the BTU in July until elections take place in two years; his old position will be filled in a special election next October. As contract negotiations continue this spring, the biggest current efforts are for increased paraprofessional salaries and a better allocation of resources, such as making school buildings safer and increasing mental health support.
BLS Student Council president Neil Jin (I) explains, because of its cooperation with educators’ ideas, “the BTU has led to the BPS district being one of the best places for teachers to work in the country.”
