Teachers’ union president-elect touts agenda as critics voice concerns
The president-elect of the powerful Massachusetts Teachers Association, Merrie Najimy, is promising to fight for “autonomy of educators” and to “put students at the center,” but critics warn she may be a divisive leader in education politics.
Najimy, 51, a Concord kindergarten teacher who has taught for 28 years and served as president of the Concord union, will take office July 15 to serve a twoyear term and replace current president Barbara Madeloni, who is not eligible for re-election after serving two terms.
Growing up in an ArabAmerican family in Pittsfield and feeling invisible in the curriculum, Najimy said she chose teaching to “bring a broader worldview to students” and that racial justice remains a theme in her classroom and political work.
“I have lived the experiences that educators are living today — and have experienced that same feeling that we lost our autonomy,” Najimy told the Herald. “As educators, we are building power and changing public opinion on schools and high stakes testing.”
Looking ahead, the Fair Share Amendment to increase the tax on incomes over $1 million to support education and transportation, and raising the minumum wage to $15 are among Najimy’s priorities.
Najimy takes the reins as teachers’ voices for higher pay and more state funding grow louder across the country, sparking teachers in West Virginia, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arizona and Colorado to walk off the job in protest.
Critics, however, said Najimy may be similar in style to Madeloni, a firebrand leader who led the defeat of the controversial November 2016 ballot question to expand charter schools.
“I’m hoping after they won their campaign, the MTA can move back to being less demonizing and more reasonable,” said Liam Kerr, executive director of Democrats for Education Reform Massachusetts. “We’ll see.”
“It is deeply disappointing to see the Massachusetts Teachers Association once again elect a retrograde leader who is clearly putting her own interests ahead of those of children,” said Jim Stergios, executive director of the Pioneer Institute.