Teachers Union Sues To Block Ballot Question
By HOPE E. TREMBLAY
Staff writer
WESTFIELD – Teachers in Westfield are joining their counterparts around the state with the hope of removing a ballot question now set for the fall election.
The measure in question is the Stand for Children ballot, which, among other things, proposes changes to the way teachers are evaluated.
Westfield Education Association President Lori Hovey said initially, the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) was working with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and Stand for Children.
“Stand for Children presented itself as a grass-roots organization in touch with educators and interested in the right thing for everyone,” said Hovey, an English and reading teacher at Westfield North Middle school.
According to its website, Stand for Children’s mission is to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, graduate from high school prepared for, and with access to, a college education.
“With members in more than 100 communities across Massachusetts who prioritize child advocacy in school reform efforts, our ultimate goal is to ensure that every child has access to a quality education and an equitable chance to succeed in life,” states the site.
Hovey said the problem is that the ballot question is cumbersome and has a lot of fine details that she said are not in the best interest of educators or education.
“The ballot question is nothing like what they proposed it to be,” said Hovey. “It takes away collective bargaining.”
Hovey said the MTA is pursuing legal action to have the question removed from the ballot. One of the main points the MTA, and teachers like Hovey, take an exception to is the proposed policy for layoffs and recalls.
“The ballot question proposes that seniority should not play any part and it should be based on performance only,” said Hovey.
Hovey, a teacher for more than 20 years, said she does not agree with that thought process and said there is already a stringent evaluation process in place.
“Based on evaluation, you’re given professional teaching status, or not,” she said. “You can be given a formal or informal probation, or you can be told you’re doing just fine and continue.”
Hovey indicated that a teacher who is not performing would not be renewed, so seniority does not mean a teacher is not on par with the latest teaching standards.
“I hate to think that because of my seniority someone would think I wasn’t up to snuff,” she said.
The ballot question was brought to the WEA’s attention about two months ago. Teachers took exception to much of the questions that Hovey said was buried in the fine print of some of the “hot topics.”
The MTA took action this month. Hovey said one of her main concerns is that the question targets a specific group.
‘Why target one group of employees?” she said. “I would not support this if it were police officers or firefighters or any other municipal employee group.”
Locally, the WEA is alerting its executive board members to the fine print.
They will tell our members and we will do what we do best – educate the masses,” said Hovey.
Stand for Children lists four principles as part of its mission, including supporting great teachers in the classroom, closing the achievement gap, securing sufficient funding for Massachusetts schools, and support local efforts to improve schools.
Hovey wants to let not just teachers, but the public, know that there is more to the Stand for Children ballot question than what it appears be.
“This would be a more detrimental impact on education than anyone can perceive,” said Hovey.
Hovey added that the faculty and staff in the Westfield Public Schools is the “best you will find in western Massachusetts.”
“We have gifted teachers and administrators and they put the kids first all the time,” said Hovey. “We stand for children every day.”
Hope E. Tremblay can be reached at [email protected]
