AFT Massachusetts Responds to Selection of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner (April 22, 2025).
AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang released the following statement in response to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s vote to appoint Chicago Superintendent Pedro Martinez selected to serve as the next Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:
“While we would have preferred a candidate with more statewide experience and have concerns about how this search process was conducted, we hope that Pedro Martinez will live up to the ideals of the Commonwealth and be the type of Commissioner our educators and students deserve.
“If we are going to truly meet the needs of our students and communities during this tumultuous time in public education, it’s imperative that the incoming Commissioner builds consensus and elevates the voices of educators, students, and families most impacted. Our next Commissioner – especially one unfamiliar with the Massachusetts education landscape – must put in the work to do this and earn the trust of the union educators who dedicate their lives to providing for our students and advocating for the services they need and the exceptional education they deserve.”