Rally at New Bedford City Hall

Remarks by Louis St. John

President of the New Bedford Educators Association

January 17, 2014

Ladies and Gentlemen:

My name is Louis St. John and I am a teacher and I’m the President of New Bedford Educators Association.

And I want everyone to know that I graduated from New Bedford High School.

I am proud of my school.

I want to start by thanking each of you for being here today. I realize that attending a rally on a Friday afternoon, on a winter day, at 3:30 p.m. is difficult, especially for those who have traveled long distances to get here.

But you are here for a good cause. You are here to support the students and educators of New Bedford High School.

And for that support we are grateful.

Each of you knows that what is being done to our students and educators at New Bedford High is wrong.

The turnaround plan chosen by Dr. Durkin to improve New Bedford High School punishes the very people who have been asking for supports for years.

We are here to let the mayor, the superintendent and the School Committee know that firing the teachers at New Bedford High is irresponsible and it will cause irreparable damage, not only to New Bedford High, but also, to the rest of our school system.

If it’s truly about improving our school, and not something else – Dr. Durkin has chosen the wrong model. The turnaround model is unnecessary to make the changes that she feels are required to improve our a high school. 

We demand that the transformation model be adopted instead.

With this model our students get to keep their teachers, no educators are fired, and the district gets to negotiate changes they feel they need to improve the school.

However, the superintendent has insisted on the turnaround model in which half the staff is replaced. With the clock ticking, we were required to negotiate over the impact of that model and we have done that.

In fact, on Wednesday, we reached a tentative agreement.

However, the turnaround model is still in place, educators will still lose their jobs and students will still lose their teachers. There is no doubt that this will have a negative impact on our school system for years to come.

  

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have a lot of speakers who want to express their support so I will be brief. But I want to quickly touch upon 3 points: Dignity, Quality and Solidarity.

A week before Christmas, Dr. Durkin told the teachers at New Bedford High that each one them would have to reapply for their jobs.

That to improve the school at least half of them would have to be replaced.

Her statements on that day were an attack on our dignity. 

They showed a lack of respect and understanding for our hard working educators at New Bedford High.

  

My next point is quality. Last year, my daughter Kayla graduated from New Bedford High School and my son Matthew is in his sophomore year.

I love my children, so I can assure you that I wouldn’t be sending them to the high school if I didn’t think they would get a quality education from the competent teachers there.

However, I am not naïve. I know that New Bedford like most urban districts faces challenges, stresses and achievement gaps. 

  

I know that we need to deal with these challenges every day. 

However, to do that more effectively, this district needs stability. Since Mayor Mitchell took office 2 years ago, we have had 3 superintendents.

Ladies and Gentlemen:

That is not stability.

That has harmed our system.

Another thing that has harmed our school system is the climate of fear that now exists within our schools. As a result many of our educators, have left our system, several have retired and many are retiring prematurely.

We suggest that instead of threatening our teachers with termination, Dr. Durkin, the Mayor, and the School Committee should be trying to figure out how to improve working conditions and make this the kind of district where highly qualified educators want to work!

I believe that because of what is being done to our educators, we are going to lose many of our excellent teachers, not only at New Bedford High School but also across our system.

Our educators should not be used as scapegoats.

That brings me to my third point: solidarity.

To our students, parents, retired and active teachers, labor leaders, union brothers and sisters, elected officials, and friends of educators, I am humbled by the support each and everyone of you has shown us today. Your support is truly appreciated.

To our members:

Despite the climate of fear, hundreds of you have come out here today to stand up for your rights.

We need you to keep coming out, standing tall, and getting more and more of our members to join us in speaking out for ourselves and our fellow members.

Be strong. Be vigilant. Have hope. And support your union when we ask you to take actions to defend your rights and the interests of our students.

We are united!

An injustice to one is an injustice for all!

We are one!

Thank you.