AFT Massachusetts along with a broad coalition of educators, school districts, nonprofits, and labor unions won a preliminary injunction today that will halt the Trump Administration’s unlawful effort to dismantle the Department of Education.

In March, the AFT Massachusetts, along with coalition members, was the first to challenge Secretary of Education Linda McMahon’s massive reduction-in-force at the U.S. Department of Education. This not only gutted the department of the staff levels necessary to operate, but greatly decimated the crucial services and protections millions of students, teachers, and communities across the country rely on.

“While today’s decision will provide some relief, the damage is already being felt in our schools – by our students, especially the most vulnerable, and our educators,” said American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “We have the utmost confidence in the virtue and facts of our case. The White House is not above the law and we will never stop fighting on behalf of our students and our public schools and the protections, services, and resources they need to thrive.”

“My colleagues and I love being a part of the Lynnfield community and want to be able to provide the same level of support and service to the community that we’re providing now,” said Katherine Decker, a Lynnfield resident and Head of Circulation at Lynnfield Public Library (LPL). “We are asking our neighbors and friends to vote yes to safeguard the programs and resources thousands in our community can access when they walk through our doors.”

The LPL provides programs for all ages, story-times and promotion of literacy, print and electronic materials, research assistance, technology help, book groups, as well as a place for locals to connect and engage with their community. Last year, LPL hosted nearly 400 programs with over 7,460 participants.

“Each day, the Lynnfield Public Library welcomes nearly 400 residents who can rely on us to provide their entire community with the educational, informational, cultural, and recreational opportunities they’ve come to enjoy and, in some cases, rely on,” said Patricia Kelly, who has worked at LPL for nearly three decades and is currently serving as LPL’s Head of Reference and the President of the Massachusetts Library Staff Association. “Whether it be through creating community spaces to bring people together, connecting residents with outside cultures and histories, or helping people navigate critical services through our ever-expanding digital world, we’ve worked hard to ensure the library serves as a cornerstone of the Lynnfield community.”  

While we navigate these times of great uncertainty-whether our in our schools or communities-we must remain UNITED FOR A BETTER FUTURE.

Not only did our 2025 Annual Convention live up to that important tenet, which served as this year’s Convention theme, it set us up to stay united into the foreseeable future. The energy and dedication of our delegates was a powerful reminder of how much we can amplify our power and impact when we remain engaged in each other’s communities and united around the collective good.

In her first full Convention as President of the AFT Massachusetts, Jessica Tang spoke to the critical role each and every delegate and local plays in ensuring the strength of the union during these challenging times. The AFT Massachusetts recognizes that the power and strength lies in not just the unity of its membership, but its diversity. Each member brings their personal history and perspectives to the table. Bringing everyone together to learn about and from each other as we fight for a common good is something that the AFT Massachusetts is dedicated to fostering. The diversity and inclusivity of our union is what unites us–we may not always agree on everything, but we have more in common that unites us that divides us. 

AFT Leading the Charge for Access to R+ (Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan)

For decades, AFT Massachusetts and member locals - including the Boston Teachers Union – have helped members navigate their benefits systems, which can be complex.  Whether it be through advocacy, education, or resources, the AFT Massachusetts has been on the frontline of an issue impacting thousands of teachers across the Commonwealth – the Massachusetts Teachers Alternative Retirement Plan, or Retirement Plus.

After working on this for years, we were thrilled when the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation we had been advocating for at the end of last session. Unfortunately, it was not taken up by the Senate in time.