Green Schools
The MTA’s Center for Education Policy and Practice produced an informational document on green schools as a result of a New Business Item passed by the 2024 Annual Meeting of Delegates. The NBI stated “that the MTA will disseminate to all members, committees and local presidents easily understood and easily used resources to encourage school districts to apply for these funds, and therefore be it further resolved that MTA will actively support members organizing in their schools and communities for their districts to apply for these funds and to take other steps to reduce the use of fossil fuels in their schools.”
Addressing the mental health crisis in our schools
The following question was posed to MTA members:
Based upon your observations and experience in your classroom and school, what are your ideas for improving mental wellness for your students? For your fellow educators? For yourself?
The responses to this prompt are outlined in a report, Classroom Solutions to the Mental Health Crisis in Our Schools, which lays out eight recommendations for change including:
- Bringing more licensed mental health professionals in schools
- Giving educators more help in the classroom
- Raising and respecting the voices of educators and students
Organizing Resources
- Collective Bargaining for Health and Safety: A Handbook for Unions, Labor Occupational Health Program, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley
- Public Health and Safety Rights: Know Your Rights Powerpoint, created by MTA & MassCOSH
- Health and Safety Committees That Work, Labor Safety and Health Training Project, National Labor College
- Collective Bargaining for Health and Safety: A Handbook for Unions, Labor Occupational Health Program, School of Public Health, University of California at Berkeley
- Turn Up the Heat: Action Thermometer and How the Boss Keeps Us Disorganized, Labor Notes: Secrets of a Successful Organizer
- Organize Your Committee, fact sheet, New York State United Teachers
Key Documents & Resources, Labor Standards Department, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
The Department of Labor Standards of Massachusetts promotes and protects workers' safety/health, wages, and working conditions. The DLS Workplace Safety and Health Program goals are to prevent workplace injury and illness of public sector workers.
Online training created by the Environmental Health and Safety Committee, How to File a Workplace Hazard Complaint with the Department of Labor Standards.
Downloads
- mta_green_schools.pdf
- dls-worksheet-for-k-12.pdf
- nysut-health-and-safety-resources.pdf
- howthebosskeepsusdisorganizedlabor-notes-session.pdf
- turnuptheheat-labor-notes.pdf
- collective-bargaining-handbook-1.pdf
- health-and-safety-committees-that-work.pdf
- 02-sc-osha-presentation.pdf
- collective-bargaining-handbook.pdf
- classroom_solutions.pdf
- mta_green_schools.pdf
