They are, to the last, a group of dedicated teachers and staff - by Bill Lacey

Our negotiating board has announced a tentative agreement with the New Bedford School Committee regarding a successor contract for Unit A members.

I want to urge you, my friends and fellow NBPS teachers, to join me on Tuesday, October 2nd at 3:30 in the Keith Middle School Auditorium. There, together as a collective, a family of teachers, we can hold an expired document and compare it effectively to a new document that comes after nearly a year and a half of difficult negotiations. 

I know our negotiating team. They are, to the last, a group of dedicated teachers and staff who chose to give up countless hours, days and months with their families. They remained professional and effective throughout their teaching day and represent what is best about us… that we are first, people who are

 passionate about our work and second, that we are New Bedford’s best shot at prosperity for every child we teach.

Our contract protects New Bedford’s children. It is a living, breathing document that has guaranteed them of professionally sound instruction. It is a written bond of faith between us and New Bedford’s parents that assures children of well-educated, highly-qualified, community-minded individuals who share their knowledge freely with the single hope that they may, with their parent’s encouragement, find their goals attainable.

Whatever our contract holds, I know that it has been vigorously defended in our best interest. As professionals, we understand that it has likely been a sometimes acrimonious, sometimes collegial group of people who approach from two very differing points of view. But if I know anything, I know this:

Our team would not have called for this meeting had they not scoured every possible benefit they could for us. And I, for one, plan on attending because I owe it to them…

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