The Persistence of Privatization

By John Rosales Person by person, block by block, school by school. Since Spring 2009, about two dozen custodians from Maine School Administrative District 75 (MSAD 75) have beat back the lingering threat of privatization. They have sat with one neighbor at a time, spoken at numerous school board meetings and labor organization events, started [...]

NEA Leaders Wrap Up Back-to-School Tour, Salute Education Support Professionals

By Sara Robertson and Alain Jehlen Education Support Professionals (ESPs) in Orlando, Florida, are being crushed financially, caught between state mandated salary cuts and increased health insurance costs. Yet despite their economic plight, student safety is still a major concern. Those are the messages NEA President Dennis Van Roekel heard from some 60+ Orange County [...]

School Custodians Rehired After Privatization Fails

by John Rosales Filthy floors. Unsanitary bathrooms. Strangers in the hallways. These were everyday conditions at schools in the Upper Freehold Regional School District in Allentown, N.J.. The culprit? Privatization. For 15 years, private contractors employed by the Upper Freehold schools walked in and out and all over district contracts. They came and went and [...]