BTU Ethnic Studies Now! Organizing Committee
Mission of the BTU Ethnic Studies Now! Organizing Committee
The goal of the Boston Teachers Union Ethnic Studies Now! organizing committee is to build a popular movement of people (parents, families, students, educators, community members) to advocate for the funding, staffing and professional training needed to develop, implement, and sustain ethnic studies in all BPS schools. We also serve to recruit and support educators to teach Ethnic Studies through providing professional development and building solidarity.
We are currently fighting to ensure that students and educators have the right to teach and learn real history: see below to learn more and click here to sign our petition demanding that BPS release a statement in support!
Join our List Serv
Sign our petition demanding BPS release a statement signaling its trust in educators, defending our right to teach and learn real history, and protecting people of all identities in our schools!
Sign on to support our priorities!
Interested in joining the fight for Ethnic Studies in Boston?
ESN Social Media
Events
Zinn Education Project Teach Truth Day of Action 2023:
The Black Panther Party in Boston Teach In
Community members and educators of all ages gathered at the Boston Liberation Center on Sunday, June 11th, as part of the Zinn Education Project's National Teach Truth Day of Action to learn about the history of the Black Panther Party in Boston! Former Black Panther Party members Charles 'Cappy' Pinderhughes, Edith Bazile, and Jabir Pope reflected on their time int he party and the lessons they learned. Then, we marched to the BPP's former headquarters at 375 Blue Hill Ave, where educators from the BTU Ethnic Studies Now Committee and UMass Boston's Africana Studies program drew connections between the Panther's struggle and those we face today, particularly when it comes to right wing attacks on our right to learn, teach, and know our real history! Click here to access a gallery walk of BPP in Boston history that was used during the event, as well as videos of the speakers!
Sign Up for New Ethnic Studies Professional Learning Community (PLC) 2021
We will be holding another Ethnic Studies Professional Learning Community (PLC) in the next month for interested educators. This 26 hour PD is based on the pilot Boston Intro to Ethnic Studies curriculum and allows educators to experience an Intro to Ethnic Studies class (we know that very few people have had the opportunity to take an Ethnic Studies class!) as students themselves would, while also stepping back at moments to talk about pedagogy and how to teach the course. At the end of the PLC, participants will have access to the full pilot Intro to Ethnic Studies curriculum and have a community of educators to build with.
The Ethnic Studies PLC has already been run 5 times, training over 50 educators, students and community workers and members. It is free, with the possibility of earning up to 26 PDPs. (There is also a possibility of an additional session for ALC in district grad credit for BPS teachers.) Participants must commit to attend every session in order to receive full credit and access to the full curriculum. All sessions are mandatory. Sessions will be remote.
We will prioritize participation for educators who will commit to attend all the sessions and plan to pilot Ethnic Studies in the upcoming year, educators of color and groups of teachers within the same school. We would like to keep the PLC(s) small (12 slots!), so we might not be able to accept everyone this round.
Fill out the pre-survey on this google form by Tuesday, August 3. Dates for the sessions are listed below:
Tues. 8/10 9:30-1:30pm
Mon. 8/16 9:30-1:30pm
Thurs. 8/19 9:30-1:30pm
Mon. 8/23 9:30-3:30pm
Thurs. 8/26 9:30-3:30pm
Fri. 8/27 9:30-12:30pm
Boston Wealth, Drugs and China Teach In 2021
As part of Asian American Heritage Month, educators in the Boston ESN committee led a teach-in about why Asian Americans are in America generally, as well as the specific role Boston elites play in participating in Western imperialism in China.
In Community: Reflections on Ethnic Studies in Boston Public Schools
If you missed the panel on 5/26/21, watch it here!
Upcoming Meetings
Fill out the ESN Week of Action Interest Form if you want to get more involved!
Spread the word: Link to ESN Week of Action Outreach Templates
Thurs 5/13, 5-7pm: experience Ethnic Studies pedagogy and community building together and plan for our Week of Action. Register here for the Zoom link.
Wednesday 5/26, 5-6:30pm: "In Community: Reflections on Ethnic Studies in Boston Public Schools" Register here for the zoom link
Thursday 5/27, 5-7pm: An Ethnic Studies Teach-In honoring Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month; Register here for the zoom link.
Thurs 6/10, 5-7pm: Experience Ethnic Studies pedagogy and community building together and summarize & reflect on our work over the past year. Register here for the Zoom link.
Prepping for our Week of Action (5/24-5/28)
Fill out the ESN Week of Action Interest Form if you want to get more involved!
Spread the word: Link to ESN Week of Action Outreach Templates
Look through the slides to see how you can spread the word from our last open meeting:
Thurs 4/8, 5-7pm: experience Ethnic Studies pedagogy and community building together, discuss our organizing demands, and plan for our Week of Action.
Black Lives Matter Week of Action February 2021 Teach in
"No Thanks Given" Teach In Fall 2020
Click here for resources!
