MTA Resolutions are the association’s statements of principle on issues relating to members, public education, the welfare of students and human and civil rights.
Resolutions may be submitted by any member to the Resolutions Committee by the second Friday in January. The committee members also may propose resolutions.
All resolutions submitted are considered by the committee, and those approved by a majority vote of the committee are recommended to Annual Meeting delegates after having been presented to the Board of Directors.
To become an official position of the MTA, a resolution must be adopted by the delegates at Annual Meeting. The proposed revisions printed in this edition of MTA Today have been recommended by the Resolutions Committee. The Board also voted on March 29 to recommend passage by the delegates.
A section of the current resolution that has a line through it is proposed for deletion; a section that is underlined is a proposed addition.
All current resolutions are posted on the MTA website at massteacher.org/resolutions.
Proposed Revised Resolution B-20
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
The Massachusetts Teachers Association believes that physical activity is essential to good health. Therefore, a comprehensive program of physical education – one that is developmental, sequential, cooperative in nature and culturally sensitive – should be provided daily in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 in or on a facility designed for that purpose.
The MTA urges individuals and families to renew their commitment to make daily quality health and physical education a part of their lives and in every school curriculum.
Physical education programs that require 225 minutes per week for middle and high school levels and 150 minutes per week for the elementary level would ensure well-rounded students, both academically and physically.
The MTA believes the inclusion of a comprehensive, skills-based health education program is a necessity in all grades, kindergarten through 12, to educate students of the Commonwealth to improve lifelong health.
Required time for health education students in PreK-2 should include a minimum of 40 hours, and for students in grades 3-12, a minimum of 80 hours of instruction per academic year.
There shall be no substitution of other instruction or activities for physical education or health education.
Coursework for health and physical education shall be regulated under the SHAPE National Physical Education Standards and the National Health Education Standards 3rd edition, an initiative of the National Consensus for Health Education.
Health and physical education shall be only taught by licensed health and physical education teachers.
The MTA further believes that such programs should be planned, directed and taught by licensed physical education teachers.
The MTA further believes that quality health and physical education programs are the best health insurance and K-12 students should not be denied daily access to either program. (92, 99, 09, 25)
Proposed Revised Resolution F-15
RETIREMENT
The Massachusetts Teachers Association shall continue to seek improvement in the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System and strongly disapproves of any action by the state Legislature or by the Congress of the United States or local governing bodies which would reduce retirement rights and benefits of Massachusetts educators.
The MTA supports a retirement system that provides for:
- Retirement security for retirees through a defined-benefit pension plan that is guaranteed for life, including cost-effective disability and survivor benefits;
- Automatic cost-of-living adjustments for retirees and beneficiaries that reflect actual increases in the cost of living;
- Purchase of credit for all approved leaves; and
- Full funding of the pension liability by the state.
Furthermore, The Massachusetts Teachers Association recognizes the importance of securing retirement contributions, from public higher education employers, for their part-time faculty members who teach at least two courses per semester across public institutions of higher education. Such benefits must be equal to those of other employees of the Commonwealth who work 20 or more hours per week.
The MTA believes that provisions must be made for comprehensive health insurance for all retired education employees and their spouses or domestic partners and that the state and/or local community contribute at least 50 percent of the premium costs.
The MTA further believes that domestic partners should have available to them the same retirement benefit options as are available to married individuals. (90, 99, 01, 09, 19, 25)
