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Community Voter Registration

Continuing with AFT efforts to promote democracy and add more voices to the political process locally and nationally, AFT-Maryland Political Coordinator Todd Reynolds led a voter registration drive Sunday August 16th at Macedonia Baptist Church in Baltimore, Md. The drive was but a small example of the "Reclaim Baltimore" initiative introduced at the 2015 AFT-Maryland Convention.

The initiative focused on revitalizing the city in the wake of the unrest after the Freddie Gray death. One aspect was to increase citizen participation in the political process. With a Presidential, Senate, Mayoral &

Harford County Exec. Signs Contract for $1,000 Merit Raise

Barry Glassman, Harford County Executive, signed union contracts with Maryland Classified Employees Association (MCEA) and AFSCME. MCEA Union officials present for the signing were chapter president William Sullivan, VP Amanda Weyant, secretary Michael Hiob, treasurer Ray Crosby, and Michael Keeney, MCEA staff representative.

The contracts allow for qualified county employees to receive a $1,000 merit raise in 2016. The County Executive said that, “these increases are fully funded through cost-savings identified by my administration in our budget for the fiscal year 2016.” The new budget will

Teachers, paraprofessionals, and AFT members and personnel from all over the nation came to Washington D.C. to take part in AFT TEACH 2015: Together Educating America’s Children. The three-day conference featured a number of panels, workshops, plenary sessions, and town halls all organized around the idea of improving the quality of public education for the nation's young people.

AFT-Maryland played a huge role in the events with strong representation from various members and officers. Baltimore Teachers Union and AFT-Maryland President Marietta English was in attendance and participated in

During the month of July, 2015, Baltimore City Public Schools will be hosting a series of community conversations around Baltimore City to discuss how school police can work with schools, students, and the community to keep students safe and in school during the day.

In the 2015 Maryland Legislative Session, a bill was introduced to allow Police to carry guns in schools. The legislation didn't make it out of committee, but we anticipate that similar legislation will be introduced again next session and that this will be a major topic of discussion at these Community Conversations this month.

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake stood in front of Carver Vocational Technical High School in West Baltimore to announce $4.2 million for programs that will benefit youth and communities across Baltimore City. That money serves a variety of purposes including funding enrichment activities both during school and out of school hours, and additional funding for Baltimore's award-winning Community Schools strategy.

The Baltimore Education Coalition (BEC) and the Maryland Out of School Time Network (MOST) were active partners with AFT-Maryland in lobbying city officials for the funds. Mayor

Gov. Hogan's funding games have consequences

Op-Ed by BTU & AFT-Maryland president, Marietta English in The Baltimore Sun:

In the last few weeks we've heard much about the neglected and underdeveloped parts of Baltimore and how decades of degradation and neglect played a role in the recent social upheaval and civil unrest. Almost universally we've heard activists, experts and thought leaders tout education as a surefire way to make long-term changes to blighted communities.

Therefore, imagine our shock and disappointment here at the Baltimore Teachers Union when Gov. Larry Hogan announced he would withhold over $11 million from students

Family League Honored for Community Schools Work

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"29403","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-left","style":"width: 35%; float: left; margin: 5px;","typeof":"foaf:Image"}}]]Statement by Baltimore Teachers Union President Marietta English on the Family League of Baltimore Being Honored For Their Work On Community Schools: I am so pleased that our partners at the Baltimore Education Roundtable are being acknowledged for their work. Family League of Baltimore has been a diligent partner in ensuring that Baltimore city students and ultimately their communities get all the resources they need to... READ

Members of AFT-Maryland turned out in a show of solidarity to stand with AFL-CIO sisters and brothers of the American Postal Workers Union (APWU). The show of force was to protest to privatization of postal service, as the USPS has a deal with Staples where they provide mailing service to customers costing numerous APWU members jobs.

The protest was organized by a group called Popular Resistance, a progressive group who does work on behalf of public sector unions as well as other causes that directly affect the general public. The response to the protest was strong as many citizens honked in

AFT-Maryland will be holding a Voter Registration Volunteer Training on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Baltimore Teachers Union offices at 5800 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215. Learn how to register voters for the 2016 Primary and General Elections. The training is open to union members and to community activists.

Voter Registration Volunteer Training
Tues., May 26, 2015
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
BTU Headquarters
5800 Metro Dr., Baltimore, MD 21215

If interested in attending, RSVP to Todd Reynolds, Political Coordinator at AFT-Maryland, by Friday, May 22nd, by 2:00 p.m. at (410) 764-3030

The Baltimore Teachers Union joined with the rest of the Baltimore Education Coalition and concerned parties from all across the state to call on Governor Larry Hogan to release Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) funding.

For Baltimore city schools, that money would total somewhere around $12 million.The General Assembly found money in the budget to fund GCEI but Governor Hogan has not yet released the funds. The money allocated for education can not be used on anything else.

Several notable attendees spoke at the press conference including Baltimore mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake

Community Voter Registration

Harford County Exec. Signs Contract for $1,000 Merit Raise

Baltimore at AFT TEACH 2015

Community Meetings scheduled to discuss BCPS Police carrying guns in schools

$4.2 million announced for Baltimore City Schools

Gov. Hogan's funding games have consequences

Family League Honored for Community Schools Work

Solidarity with Postal Workers

Voter Registration Training

Teachers, advocates call on Gov. Hogan to release funding for schools