Let’s get the facts straight on innovation schools

The United Interfaith Action Political Group would like the public to believe that their Autonomous Schools proposal is about creating small schools. The truth is that this proposal has nothing to do with creating small schools but it does have everything to do with stripping teachers of their contractual rights while creating 6 charter-like schools in New Bedford.

We are saddened that UIA spends its time using misleading and incorrect statements to push its anti-union agenda. It also saddens us that UIA will go to any means to get what it wants even if it means using elementary school children to promote their misguided cause.

UIA claims to believe in the importance of unions, public schools and maintaining New Bedford's budget but their actions suggest otherwise.

UIA does not support New Bedford Educators nor do they support the union that represents them. If they supported us they would not be pushing an agenda that our union has repeatedly denounced.

UIA states that teachers would maintain their contractual rights but again, that isn’t true. UIA has publicly stated that teachers that work in those schools would have a paper-thin contract.

UIA claims that Innovation Schools will provide models that can be replicated to help students and teachers district-wide. The Global Learning Charter schools made similar claims but we have yet to see any results. What we have seen is that they are either not serving their students very well, or they employ practices that result in sending back to the district students who can’t meet the charter’s behavior or academic standards. We believe the same will be true for Innovation Schools.

The NBEA Board of Directors represents the views of its members and our members have made their position clear. We don’t want autonomous schools in our district and if UIA truly honored and respected our opinions, they would get the facts straight on innovation schools and withdraw this proposal.