[Northampton-GP] IMPORTANT - Hearing on Bilingual Education Bills to change Question 2

[NeilESL at aol.com]

Please forward far and wide.

We need people to write and call their Mass. Representatives and Senators now 
to make sure that important changes are made to Question 2 during these 
hearings and the subsequent vote on these recommendations. We need to advocate for 
parent choice by asking for the waiver process be open to all children 
(currently parent choice is restricted to certain age groups) and we need to ask that 
the "suing the teachers" section be removed as promised. 

1) Background Information
2) How to contact your senators and representatives
3) Copy of sample letter to your senators and representatives
4) Additional Information for MTA and MFT Union Members, people need to write 
union officials

1) Background information

Hearing on Bilingual Education Bills - Thursday, November 13

The Legislature's Joint Committee on Education, Arts and Humanities will be 
holding a hearing on bills relating to English Immersion and Bilingual 
Education on November 13 at 1 PM in Room A-1 at the State House in Boston. 

The bills to be heard include: H. 1835 filed by Rep. Peter Larkin; H. 3127, 
H. 3128, H. 3129, and H. 3131 filed by Rep. Deborah Blumer; H. 2410 filed by 
Rep. Pat Jehlen; H. 2941 filed by Rep. Frank Smizik; S. 224 filed by Senator 
Robert Antonioni; and S. 258 filed by Senator Cynthia Creem. H. 1835 and S. 224 
are extensive rewrites of the current law, and S. 258 would replace current law 
with the Larkin-Antonioni law passed in 2002. 

While several of these bills would repeal the "sue the teacher" provision of 
the current law, the MTA has filed another bill, sponsored by Rep. Alice Wolf, 
that would only repeal this provision. That bill was filed in August but has 
not yet been officially admitted, so it may not be heard at the November 13 
hearing. However, the Committee will take testimony on the issue at the hearing 
because several of the other bills would also repeal the "sue the teacher" 
language of the current law. The Committee is unlikely to be voting on any of the 
bills on November 13, but only taking testimony at that time. 

2) How to write your representative or senator:
State Rep or State Senator
State House District Office 
Boston, MA 02133

web addresses for senators and house members 
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenus.htm
http://www.state.ma.us/legis/memmenuh.htm
if you don't know who your reps are, call (617) 727-2828

In addition, these Members of the Joint Committee on Education, Arts and 
Humanities, 2003-2004, need to hear from as many people as possible. Please call 
them, especially if they are in your district.

S. Chair Robert Antonioni (D-Leominster) Room 109E 722-1230
S. V-Chair David Magnani (D-Framingham) Room 323 722-1640
Pam Resor (D-Acton) Room 413F 722-1120
Robert O'Leary (D-Cummaquid) Room 413E 722-1570
Diane Wilkerson (D-Boston) Room 312C 722-1673
JoAnn Sprague (R-Walpole) Room 206 722-1222

H. Chair Marie St. Fleur (D-Boston) Room 473G 722-2070 
H. V-Chair Kevin Murphy (D-Lowell) Room 473G 722-2070
Arthur Broadhurst (D-Methuen) Room 163 722-2263
Geraldine Creedon (D-Brockton) Room 146 722-2575
Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge) Room 238 722-2380
David Torrisi (D-N. Andover) Room 136 722-2396
Brian Golden (D-Boston) Room 185 722-2877
Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) Room 443 722-2460
Jeffrey Sanchez (D-Boston) Room 146 722-2575
Robert Hargraves (D-R-Groton) Room 237 722-2305
Jeffrey Perry (R-Sandwich) Room 540 722-2090

3) Copy of sample letter to your senators and representatives

Senator or Representative,

Please vote for any changes to Question 2 that would allow for increased 
parent choice in the education of their children, by opening up the waiver process 
to all children and eliminating the 30 day waiting period. As it is written, 
question 2 limits parent choice for certain age groups. Children should not 
have to wait thirty days to be placed in the right program. Please vote for any 
changes that would eliminate the provision to sue teachers and other 
officials. Teachers should not have to fear being sued and losing their jobs simply for 
teaching children the best way they can. 
Thank you for your time.

Your Constituent,
Your name and address


4) Additional Information for MTA and MFT Union Members. (A sample letter for 
MTA members will follow this section.)

Please write your union and let them know you want the MTA and MFT to push 
hard for major changes in Question 2, especially to eliminate the provision that 
allows for teachers to be sued.   

The MTA will be testifying at the hearing and would be happy to help with any 
other publicity or organizing for the hearing. For more information, please 
contact Julie Johnson at the MTA's Division of Governmental Services at 
jjohnson at massteacher.org or by phone at 617-878-8315.

MTA members please write:

CBOUDREAU at massteacher.org,
lbarrett at massteacher.org, 
JBLUM at massteacher.org,
JJOHNSON at massteacher.org

Sample letter: 
Dear MTA official,

Thank you for being at the hearing on November 12 to encourage our 
representatives and senators to change Question 2. Please work hard to push for major 
changes in Question 2, especially to eliminate the provision that allows for 
teachers to be sued. 

Thank you,
Name and local teacher's association

You may also want to cite or attach this when writing MTA:

Passed unanimously MTA Annual Convention 5/31/03

New Business Item No. 5 - without budgetary implications

Moved:
MTA Governmental Relations shall energetically pursue repeal of the UNZ 
initiative's "sue the teacher" provision, if necessary, in a separate bill and 
aggressively support any legislation that would lessen the harmful effect of UNZ 
on the non-native English speaking children of the Commonwealth

Submitter's Rationale:
This is consistent with MTA's mission to protect the rights of members and 
advocate for quality education.

Delegate making the motion: Neil Brick, Holyoke TA
Delegate seconding the motion: Timothy T. Collins, Springfield Education 
Association 
   
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