Kinga Borondy and Jennipher Burgess are two Education Support Professionals who have agreed to share their stories to bring attention to the MTA’s PreK-12 ESP Bill of Rights campaign, which is focused on winning better pay, benefits, respect and fairness for ESPs. Photos by Audra Makuch and Bob Duffy
MTA Education Support Professionals are currently sharing their personal and professional stories — in face-to-face conversations, in print and via social media — to advance the MTA PreK-12 ESP Bill of Rights campaign.
The effort is aimed at winning better pay and benefits, job security, professional development and affordable educational opportunities for ESPs. It was endorsed over the summer by the MTA Board of Directors.
This fall, the campaign is rolling out the Bill of Rights to MTA local associations across the state as it seeks to get all members involved in the fight to bring measurable progress to ESP contracts — and a sense of fairness and respect for Education Support Professionals.
This article focuses on two ESPs’ stories, but we know there are many more to be told. If you would like to share your story via a Soapboxx video, visit massteacher.org/esp for more information.
Jennipher Burgess has been a paraprofessional for seven years. She works at the Maria Hastings School in Lexington.
"I knew that I wouldn’t make much money as an ESP, but I had no idea that I would need to have three jobs in order to maintain my home, car and bills. I am lucky to live close to the district in which I work, but a lot of people commute over an hour each way. We ESPs do not make a living wage in most of the districts that we work in.
"We are not often recognized as the professionals we are. I have over 20 years of working with children and adults with special needs in both private and public spaces.
"Although I feel like my input is required at meetings that affect my students, I am seldom, if ever, invited.
"We rarely get any planning time and are expected to modify general education work on the fly. Our professional development options are usually very few, and often they are trainings that we have done before or are not suited to us or our students’ needs.
"We do not have job security and are usually the first ones cut when the budget calls for layoffs. We have no say about which classrooms or students we will work with from year to year — that is, IF we have a job the following year.
"I went to college but I didn’t finish my degree because I took custody of my younger sibling. At this point I owe $30,000 for a degree I didn’t get to finish. I feel like I will NEVER pay the bills down because I cannot afford to.
"We need to address these issues by bargaining strong contracts and winning the goals outlined in the MTA ESP Bill of Rights.’’
Kinga Borondy has been a paraprofessional for six years. She works at the Albert F. Argenziano School in Somerville.
"I went to work in the Somerville Public Schools when my daughter was 16 and we lost my husband’s Social Security death benefit.Working full time in school is actually a pay cut from Social Security, so like most paras I work two or three jobs to get by.
"I recently worked in a local arts center, teaching clay crafting classes to first- and second-graders, but that program isn’t running now because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"I have a bachelor’s degree and I speak Spanish and Hungarian. I work with English language learners whose parents speak many different languages, and I have been working with my fellow union members to build community support and engagement for those students and our members.
"As ESPs, we’re often taken for granted and not seen as professionals. This is a problem that starts at the top, but it travels down to the students.
"When we’re not included in IEP meetings and planning, it sends a clear message to parents, students and other educators that our value is being discounted.
"The fight for a living wage is critical because it brings attention to who we are and that our role is essential in the delivery of education. In Somerville, we fought for a higher starting wage, but we have more work to do for people to see us as the professionals we are."
To download a copy of the MTA PreK-12 ESP Bill of Rights, see a living wage calculator for your county or to learn more about the campaign, please visit massteacher.org/esp.
FUND OUR FUTURE
INVEST IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES OUR COMMUNITIES DESERVE
