By Anya Gorovits, Samiha Jaffar Ali, Ariana Teasdale, and Ella Hu Staff Writers
Andover Public School students kept busy during the strike with schoolwork and attending teacher rallies, as well as activities hosted by AYS.
Throughout the teacher strike, many students could be found at the Andover Youth Center or on the front lines of various teacher protests. Other students took the unexpected break to catch up on schoolwork and get some well-needed rest.
Valeria Cauia, a junior at AHS, volunteered at the Andover Youth Center during the strike. Around 100 students came to the Center throughout the duration of the strike, most staying from 9 am to 6 pm. Many different activities were set up, including sports, gaming, art, and movies. Food was provided as well, and extra activities like extra sports were added to keep students engaged. The AYS staff, as well as many high school volunteers, came to watch the students and arrange the activities.
“I think for the most part, they were just happy that they got to be there instead of being stuck at home or school,” Cauia said. She thought that the students really enjoyed their time at the Youth Center.
Nearly all students utilized the time during the strike to catch up with their schoolwork, and many attended the strike as well to support their teachers.
Sophomore Noor Bhatti turned her attention towards academics during the strike.
“I spent the days off catching up on classes, being productive, and finishing up any assignments and homework I had,” Bhatti said. She explained that she didn’t have any plans during the strike, as it wasn’t planned. She couldn’t be there in person but did show her support for the teachers from her house by watching the local news.
Katherine Nicoll, a freshman, not only used the time to catch up on work but also to support the protesting teachers. Nicoll tried to attend as many rallies as possible and is an enthusiast on the subject. “The fact that our teachers weren’t getting paid means they did not have the correct teaching environment,” she said.
By Carissa Dessin and Molly Borenstein SPORTS EDITOR AND STAFF WRITER
Wages, leave, and prep time for Andover educators increased as the AEA strike came to a close.
Since January, Andover teachers and Instructional Assistants (IAs) had been in discussion with the School Committee to create a fair contract. To the Andover Education Association (AEA), ‘fair’ came with a list of demands. These points included increased pay for both teachers and IAs, eight weeks of paid parental leave, an extra personal day, and more. These meetings to discuss the contract, also called bargaining, were filled with tension as the two sides could not come to an agreement.
On November 9, the AEA membership voted overwhelmingly to engage in an illegal strike which started on November 10 and ended on November 14, with educators, students, and parents showing their support along the picket line. During this time, bargaining continued in tension-filled meetings. Many “teachers were very conflicted leading up to the strike and while it was ongoing,” said AEA Vice President Julian DiGloria. However, despite the guilt that a handful of teachers were dealing with, they felt without a doubt that “they had had no other choice but to take this action.”
Eventually, after the AEA bargaining team and School Committee worked multiple nights, a compromise was reached. These new benefits include an increase in wage for IAs from 37.5%-59.5%, which was, according to negotiator and math teacher Elizabeth Arnold, “one of the top priorities [of their] team.” There was also an increased wage for teachers, which included base salary going up by around 27%.
The resolutions included not only pay boosts but also more paid leave. This includes 8 weeks of paid parental leave, 15 days off per year for ill family members, and an additional personal day for both IAs and teachers. Finally, this new contract also stated there would be both 30 minutes for lunch and for recess and an additional 25 hours of teacher-led time at the elementary level. Along with a few other inclusions, the educators returned to schools on November 15.
Not only did this demonstration bring an end to what was essentially an 11-month-long battle between the AEA and the School Committee, but it also brought more unity among the educators of Andover. “I don’t think there has ever been a stronger bond of solidarity between [Andover] educators,” said Matthew Bach, president of the AEA.
By Abby Chachus, Sanjith Kalpat, and Lojyn Elkotory STAFF WRITERS
As the Andover Educators went on strike on November 10, their absence influenced extracurricular activities routines such as the Science team meetings, Model United (MUN) conferences, and many more. Yet, other activities, like the Winter sport gathering, were able to resume.
At the sports meeting, the presidents of each team explained techniques for the athletes to succeed in their individual sports. Gabi Sullivan, an AHS athlete stated, “[We got] to meet the coaches for all levels of the sports you wanted to do and know more about how they coach.” The coaches also explained the consequences of any negative behavior. “Another thing is they told [us] what would happen if [we] get in trouble or miss school,” Sullivan emphasized. Sullivan claimed that the teachers’ attendance did not impact the meeting. However, considering that she is a freshman and new to the team she wasn’t confident if any of the other members noticed a change.
The strike affected the MUN students especially since they had already missed previous meeting opportunities. Anusha Sambangi, a MUN member and ANDOVERVIEW editor, expressed her concerns, stating, “We have already had to miss a few Friday meetings, because of half days and other breaks”.
Unlike the sports gathering, the science team had to cancel their monthly meeting. In a recent interview, team leader Emily Packer emphasized the importance of the event: “All schools in the North Shore Science League meet up in person and compete”. She expressed disappointment over the cancellation, especially considering the team’s desire to recover from a slow start during the pandemic. Reflecting on the situation, she stated, “We had a slow start, placing low on our first meet of the year, therefore, we hoped to recover this meet.” Despite the setback, Packer and the team recognized the teachers’ actions as justifiable. She explained, “We [understood] that the teachers were striking for a good cause, and we wanted to support them.”
When asked about the science team’s stance on the strike, Packer confirmed their firm support. She mentioned, “Our own head coach, Ms. Fisher, was one of the teachers on strike, and we fully supported her work in the union.” This unity shows the team’s dedication to standing behind their educators in support of fair working conditions.
By Julie Mahoney, Samantha Sun, Saarvi Deshwal, Maddox To, Isabella Yan, & Tommy Kruecker-Green COPY EDITOR AND STAFF WRITERS
Teachers and instructional assistants (IA) are more than thrilled to be back in school after the five-day strike in November.
Every day from the 10th to the 14th, educators from all of APS stood on the picket line and showed their solidarity. Now that they are back in school, they have some thoughts on the way it all went down.
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Teachers rally at Andover Commons on Friday, Nov. 10th
While there is full support for these new changes, there are a few conditions some educators wished would have been included. History teacher Lauren Ream said, “I wish there was more flexibility [and] understanding that teachers sometimes need to leave early and that things happen.” As a longtime educator, Ream has seen the Andover community adapt over time and believes that these changes are especially beneficial for younger teachers. “I’m at the end of my career, my kids are all grown, so I know what it was like,” Ream noted.
With the new contract, IAs acquired a more sufficient living wage, which garnered a lot of positive responses. “I am happy…especially [with] the increase for instructional assistants who have never in my tenure been paid properly,” said Abby Levin, a social worker. “They work with some of our most challenging students.” The new contract provides IA’s and teachers alike with a greater sense of stability. Levin also shared how satisfied she is with the new additions to the contract, such as the inclusion of more recess and lunchtime for elementary students.
“I felt an incredible solidarity on the picket line, and my sign had a stick holding it up so I could hold it high,” Levin said proudly. Despite the chilly weather, with the help of donuts, coffee, and music, teachers continued to stand for what they believed in alongside many from the community. Betsey Desfosse, a health teacher, said that it was the coolest thing she had been involved in. “It was exhausting, but dare I say fun. I haven’t felt that alive and passionate about something in a long time,” said Desfosse.
Lindsey L’Ecuyer, a biology teacher found it “empowering to feel the support of the community.” L’Ecuyer explained that a more competitive contract would allow for the best faculty for students. “We best support ALL of our students when we are able to recruit the staff they deserve.”
“Though I felt the camaraderie of my colleagues on the picket line and was touched by community and student support, I and all others I spoke to wanted to return to the classroom as quickly as possible,” said Erin Cherry, a history teacher. “The classroom is where we all feel at home.” With all the protests, getting back to the classroom was their number one goal.
Although the strike was a long and difficult process for the teachers, it was rewarding in the end. Ruth Masters, a history teacher, was among the few educators who had initially voted against the strike. “I didn’t think we had community support,” she said. It was a surprise to her to discover the support Andover families had for teachers.
Max Page, current president of the Massachusetts Teachers Union (MTA), attended the Andover Education Association’s (AEA) first day of the strike on Friday, November 10. As an educator himself and having served as the MTA’s president for almost over a year, Page shared his perspective on the events that have been unfolding over the past few days.
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Strikeout attendee holds up an “ANDOVER EDUCATORS ON STRIKE!” sign.
Why are you here at the strike today?
Well, I’m the president of this state’s Teachers Association. This represents 117,000 public school and college educators in 400 local areas and Andover is one of those areas. We represent them, stand behind them, and support them in their fight for a fair contract.
What inspired you to come here and support Andover educators?
I mean, it’s so inspiring when you have a group of educators who want to demand what’s right for the schools, including the betterment of students and educators, especially the instructional assistants. It’s the educators who know best what students need. I love that they’re standing up and willing to do whatever is needed to get it right.
Have you seen similar movements across Massachusetts, for example, teachers fighting for different contracts?
Absolutely. You know, really, there’s been this growing momentum over the past decade of educators not willing to just accept whatever is being offered, and they’re demanding more–they’re raising their level of expectation for their students and for themselves as educators and that’s been going on for the past number of years. It’s been really exciting.
How do you feel about it being illegal here in Massachusetts to strike?
You know what Representative Erica Uyterhoeven from Somerville was saying in her speech–we’ve worked on [a bill] with her, which [would] remove the prohibition of striking [in Massachusetts.] There’s a great history and terrible history [to the bill] which goes back to the time when Boston Police officers went on strike in 1919. And I can tell you there’s a lot of stories around that. But that eventually became this tradition of “Oh, we don’t let public sector workers go on strike” and it was eventually enshrined in law. And it’s a bad law. It’s wrong. It’s frankly, immoral. So we’ve been working to change that law. But clearly educators after nine months decided that this is what they needed to do.
Do you see any of the demands here getting enshrined in state law in the near future?
You know, one of the things that we do believe is that paid parental leave should be universal. It is universal for private sector workers and many public sector workers, but not municipal workers. So it’s a huge problem. The MTA helped win this for most workers, but it excluded municipal workers. So educators who are two-thirds of women who are most likely to take the paid parental leave, do not have it by right. So while people are fighting for it here in Andover, we hope eventually to have that be state law.
COURTESY PHOTO / Melissa Nussbaum Melissa Nussbaum smiles for the camera.
Melissa Nussbaum, fifth-grade teacher at South Elementary School and member of the Andover Education Association’s (AEA) negotiating team, rallied outside of South School along with other educators on Friday. As cars honked in support of the AEA as they passed by the rally, Nussbaum revealed her outlook on the ongoing dispute.
Why are you here striking today?
[The School Committee] is only giving us a portion of what we wanted and what we’ve asked for. [We come] off [as] ridiculous [for] what we’re asking for, but they’re not being honest. One of the reasons we wanted to rally is so the whole town could watch us [and] listen to everything, [the School Committee] didn’t, which is their prerogative. [But] then they follow up all of our bargaining sessions by using their unique ability to email all families at once in the whole town, which we cannot do… They’re sharing only what little teasers they want to share that put them in a better light and make us look terrible. If we were allowed to do the same, people would know the real story.
When do you think this strike will end, or how long are you planning to strike?
We’re going to strike until we get a fair contract and a return-to-work agreement that keeps everyone safe.
Do you mind explaining a little about what the “return-to-work” agreement is?
Depending on how long a strike is, in general, you have to bargain a return-to-work agreement because… there are some teachers that have professional status. You have to make sure that each retaliation that comes their way—so if there are fines or losses or loss of wages—that all needs to be bargained back. A strike day is just like a snow day, right? We’re going to have to make the day up. I think it just makes [for] better transitioning so that going back to work goes smoothly for everybody.
How has the administration generally responded to the strike?
We really respect our principal. She’s been great and very respectful to us. There’s the administration that’s uptown, and then there’s the administration that’s in your building. For me, they’re two different entities.
How do you think the strike affects the students at South and across APS?
I think it affects kids in different ways [in each grade]. I think how parents talk to kids matters as well. Of course, I’m not talking to elementary schoolers about strikes or anything political. In middle and high school, I think the kids [are] affected differently, and I think it has to do with how much involvement they… have in this issue and… in the community. Some want to be part of it and others don’t understand or they’re not interested in it. I like that the kids are organizing themselves and speaking out about what they believe and that’s great.
Andover Public Schools (APS) students showed up downtown to support their teachers at an Andover Education Association (AEA) rally on Friday, November 10.
Kids ranging from first grade to high school seniors rallied in support of the AEA. Most, if not all, of the students’ sentiments were the same: “I’m here to support our educators who deserve fair pay,” said sophomore Tess Moglia.
“We are making sure that IAs specifically get better pay and get liveable wages,” AHS senior Nate Allen said. There was overwhelming support for the teachers seen by the turnout of students alone. Senior Nick Vacarro said he “would not be the person [he is] today without the teachers’ support”.
Junior Mitran Kumar, who gave a speech and is a member of the student organization Respect Our Teachers, stands strong in his support. “So far, there have been 27 rounds of unsuccessful negotiation,” Kumar said. “And we’re hoping today’s strike can show that that’s not acceptable, and students are now behind you.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Mitran Kumar makes a speech during the strikeout.
Oscar Gillette, founder of the Respect Our Teachers organization and AHS Class of 2023 graduate, expressed similar sentiments towards Andover educators. Several students from the organization also took part in a rally on Wednesday, November 8, showing up at the Senior Center to support the AEA negotiation team.
Another senior, Hannah Lehmann, said, “They are demanding resources to be able to be better teachers for us so we owe it to them to support them.” Abinaya Ganesh, a senior and participant in the high school’s production of Rent, stated that while the production has been allowed to continue and her extracurricular life hasn’t been interrupted too much, she is “willing to have my life disrupted” for the cause.
While 8th graders Aiden DeLuca, Sam Bossieux, Jack Walsh, and Jack Difiore enjoyed the day off, DeLuca explains that they came to “check out the strike and see all of [their] teachers.”
With the School Committee being a group of parents, Ganesh thinks it’s the parent’s job to look out for students. “It may seem [to the Committee] like that’s what [they are] doing right now, but what will really benefit the students is teachers being able to do their job properly.”
“We will not accept these locked-in negotiations and we will not stop until they bring a proper agreement, a fair contract, and livable wages which is why we as the students will stand by it until those agreements are met,” Kumar said adamantly. “One more thing. Warriors don’t cross the picket line.”
During the November 10 AEA demonstration, members of the Andover community all over Massachusetts came together at the Town Commons. They shared sentiments regarding the Andover School Committee’s offers and refusals to meet the AEA’s demands.
Brian Shea, AHS English Teacher, opened the stage by defining what Andover Public Schools (APS) truly is, saying that APS is not merely a set of numbers to be analyzed but a thriving community based on love, care, and compassion. Although school is closed, Shea wanted “to be clear that APS is not closed today because APS is right here!”
Kathryn Conti, Woodhill Middle School (WHMS) eighth-grade special education teacher of 20 years and army veteran thanked the rally: “Your personal life and commitment to the common good are an inspiration to students and teachers alike.”
Daniel Donnavon, AHS Science Teacher and marine veteran, declared, “Service is something we model every day in our teaching. We have to stand up for ourselves and model that for our students.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Matthew Bach makes a speech at the strikeout.
Matthew Bach, AEA President and AHS History Teacher, shared his eagerness to get back to the classroom but said that [the AEA] “is doing this because it is the right thing to do, and if [they] didn’t do it [he] wouldn’t be able to…look [his] students in the eye. There is a time when what’s just and what’s right has to overcome fear and a reluctance to get out of our individualism. And [the AEA is] here collectively to do that today. And we’re going to win.”
Julian Digloria, AEA Vice President and WHMS History Teacher, reflected on his personal and familial connection to the town as an educator and how important public education is. “It’s something that people do not have across the globe and in some cases in this country and…. something that our armed forces are fighting to protect,” he said. Andover “has been a lighthouse district for public education,” he continued, “[and] we want to keep it that way.” Digloria urged the School Committee to work with the AEA, to offer them a fair contract, and to respect their employees in order to keep Andover a lighthouse district in the commonwealth and in the nation.
Karen Torres, Instructional Assistant Unit Chair, reminded all instructional assistants of their value to the district and how critical their work is for the success of their students. Torres emphasized how the school committee “can’t fill instructional assistant positions that are posted and open, because it’s a difficult, low paying job, and now the district values [instructional assistants] so much that they’re willing to pay an outside company $65 an hour to fill that position.” Torres ended her speech by demanding that the school committee “Do [their] job!”
Chrissy Lynch, Massachusetts AFL-CIO (American Federation of Labor–Congress of Industrial Organizations) President, explained her role and reason for joining the AEA strike: “The job of the AFL-CIO is when one union gets picked on you got a whole bunch of other ones standing in solidarity.” The AFL-CIO represents over 800 local unions across Massachusetts from every sector. Lynch said “Our educators deserve everything that our cities and our state can give them. This is the future of our world.” Although Massachusetts passed the Fair Share Amendment, expected to generate about $2 billion in yearly support for transportation and public education, Lynch said, “Now is the time to use those investments to make sure our schools are getting the resources they need.”
Kara Routier, AHS Instructional Assistant, shared how difficult it is to pursue a career in education because the “starting wage for IAs here is not adequate to pay for housing, food, any student loans, transportation, clothing, and routine bills.” Routier expressed her concern for Andover’s diminishing appeal to young educators, lack of recognition for experienced educators, and the School Committee’s disregard for students, particularly those with special needs.
Dayshawn Simmons, Somerville Educators Union (SEU) President, expressed solidarity with AEA, highlighting their shared struggle for fair wages and conditions. Drawing from Somerville’s experience, he encouraged the AEA to trust in their collective power, emphasizing that their fight will only yield positive changes for educators but will also inspire and empower students: “You all made the brave, courageous, and righteous decision to advocate for yourself, your students, and the Andover community,” said Simmons, “remember what you are fighting for and know that you deserve it.”
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Erica Uyterhoeven makes a speech at the strikeout.
Erica Uyterhoeven, Somerville State Representative, shared her personal connection to labor struggles through her mother’s union. “My first picket line was in the womb,” said Uyterhoeven. She encouraged educators to remember their courage during challenging times and dispelled myths related to funding, the misconception that “Somehow because [teachers] care [about the students], [they] should be paid less,” and the belief that public sector unions are different. She emphasized the right to strike is crucial for negotiation for a fair contract, and she has proposed a bill advocating for the restoration of the right to strike for public sector workers, expressing strong support for the educator’s actions in Andover.
Maura McCurdy Santiago, Andover Parent, read a letter she sent to the School Committee and the Superintendent. She expressed deep disappointment with the School Committee for the prolonged negotiations and lack of urgency in addressing teachers’ concerns. Santiago highlighted teacher’s efforts during the pandemic and argued for a fair wage that considers the cost of living and matches neighboring communities. She asked the School Committee to consider if they “make a good enough living wage to support [their] own family if [they] had to take an unpaid leave to support a sick loved one?”
Students from the AHS Respect Our Teachers Organization, stepped up and shared their personal experiences with the Andover education system. Mitran Kumar, an AHS junior, highlighted the historical significance of the Bread and Roses movements and drew parallels to the ongoing struggle for a fair contract for teachers in Andover. Mitran said, “This is said to be the land of the free and the home of the brave. But I ask you this: when you don’t have the fundamental right to strike, do you feel free? When you don’t have any meaningful impact or input over your curriculum, do you feel free? When you can’t take time off of work for the death of a family member, do you feel free? But I also ask you this together as we stand here in solidarity, just how powerful we are together. Do you feel brave?”
President Michael Zilles, President of the Newton Teachers Association (NTA), stated that the NTA is working with the same law firm, using similar tactics to resist contracts. Ziles said, “They think they can beat us, but they can’t. I’m coming away from here feeling stronger because what [the AEA] is doing here is going to help 2000 members in Newton and we are going to win just as [the AEA is] going to win.” Max Page, Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) President and Deb McCarthy, MTA Vice President addressed the crowd in solidarity and expressed admiration for the union members fighting for living wages, paid parental leave, and adequate recess time. Page said, “You are not going to be getting this by asking. You are doing this by demanding a fair contract for all your members and for the students in this district… The fight for racial gender, education, and justice, runs through the AEA and runs right through Andover, so you do this for yourselves and your students, but you do this for a larger labor movement that is on the rise.”
The Andover Education Association (AEA) rallied outside schools and at Andover Commons on Friday, November 10, after voting to strike Thursday night.
For the first time in 30 years, the AEA strikes gathered a crowd of red at the Town Commons.
With schools closed due to the Union’s strike, many students came out to show their support for educators. In the crowd of nearly 1000, there were also parents and other educators from neighboring districts like Haverhill, Woburn, and North Andover.
Parent Lauren Kinney hopes that the school committee will come to see “the value that our teachers provide and agree that their requests are not unreasonable.” AHS Senior Michaela Buckley said that educators “do so much for us and the least we can do is have them paid a liveable wage.” 2023 Alumnus John Macy agreed with Buckley and stood with the AEA saying “They did a great job educating me and I want to get them a fair contract.”
Arlington teacher and Methuen resident, Jenna Maderios, said it was important to her “to come out and show teacher solidarity.” Strikes like this have been successful in other Massachusetts towns and while “it’s unfortunate that it has to get to this, it is what Andover educators deserve,” Maderios said.
With the AEA’s decision to strike, the Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB) at the Department of Labor Relations ordered the Union to cease and desist after they broke the law (M.G.L. c. 150E, s. 9A). The CERB also ordered a state mediator for the negotiations held on November 10.
Oscar Gillette, a 2023 alumnus of AHS, created Respect Our Teachers, “a group of students and alumni who support the union” said Gilette. The group is taking two approaches, electoral (where they will gather signatures, and if they get 200 signatures from registered Andover adults a town meeting will be triggered) and civil disobedience (where students will refuse to attend school without a fair contract for their educators).
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger Seniors rally in support of the AEA.
The School Committee’s proposal on Friday included enhanced paid parental leave (including 11 weeks of paid leave for any parent) and an increase in sick days for Instructional Assistants which now have a total of 15 sick days.
While the Committee is dedicated to “negotiating in good faith” as said in their statement on November 11, the AEA has made it clear that enough is enough even though they have yet to respond.
For more information on negotiations visit aps1.net
The Andover Education Association (AEA) voted to go on strike Thursday afternoon and rallied yesterday, November 10, outside the closed schools and Andover Common.
After the November 8 bargaining session fell through, the AEA voted overwhelmingly in favor of striking the following afternoon on November 9. Yesterday at around 8 a.m., teachers and Instructional Assistants (IAs) from respective negotiation Units A & B demonstrated at all Andover Public Schools to show their support for the strike. At 12 p.m., joined by many other teachers and union leaders from all over the state, they began gathering outside of the Memorial Auditorium.
STAFF PHOTO / Julia Rodenberger AHS Teachers make their way to Andover Commons to continue the strike.
The School Committee’s proposal from Thursday and AEA’s most recent proposal from October 25 include increased wages for both entry-level teachers and IAs, a greater amount of prep time per day, and more parental leave.
An emergency negotiation session between the AEA and the School Committee, along with a mediator sent by the Massachusetts Commonwealth Employment Relations Board (CERB), took place yesterday afternoon at 2 p.m. The parties bargained for eight hours.
The School Committee published a statement this morning, November 11, at 5 a.m. detailing their further offers of increased paid parental leave and sick time. The AEA has not publicized any counterproposals.
The Andover School Committee had filed a petition shortly before the Thursday afternoon vote with CERB at the Department of Labor Relations to prevent the strike. They “[urged] the AEA to end the theatrics [to]… negotiate in good faith.” When the AEA continued with the strike, CERB found the union in violation of Massachusetts state law and ordered the members to concede the strike by tomorrow, Sunday, November 12.
At the rally yesterday, AEA Chair Matthew Bach said the union was “doing this today because it was the right thing to do… to overcome fear… and individualism.” The AEA has not yet publicly responded to CERB’s order.
