Colors of Solidarity
This is the true story of a little-known but painfully relevant chapter in the Boston Teachers Union’s history in the years following school desegregation. A conflict between affirmative action and union seniority came to a head in 1981, when 710 tenured white teachers were slated to be laid off in proportion to less-senior black teachers to comply with federal requirements for teacher diversity. Come with me to explore the contradicting narratives of three key groups: black rank-and-file teachers, white rank-and-file teachers, and the– white– Boston Teachers Union leadership. As supporting characters, the Mayor, Boston Public Schools leadership, the School Committee, the Federal Courts, parents, and the press will all make appearances. What was the relationship between black educators and the union? Whose voices were heard? How did the various stakeholders build and exercise their power? And how did they tell the story at the time and in the years that followed? Tune in to find out! By Ari Branz.
Episodes
This is episode one of our three-part series. We’ll journey together into the experiences of some of the first black teachers in Boston Public Schools, consider the impact of a court ruling that mandated one-to-one hiring of black and white teachers to increase diversity, and understand the fiscal austerity policies that exacerbated racial tensions in the Teachers’ union.
The Boston Public Schools were facing a major financial cliff, and everyone knew layoffs were coming. In this Episode, 710 Layoffs, we will delve into how the school committee, the white leadership of the BTU, and black educators attempted to frame the narrative and exercise their power to influence how layoffs would happen.
In this episode, we will trace the narratives of white BTU leaders, black BTU members, the press, and parents through not one, but two turbulent strike votes. We will witness ugly histories, and hear the voices of those most impacted by them. And ultimately, we will answer the question- would the union be able to overcome its anti-black racism to demonstrate true solidarity?
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