AFT Massachusetts Holds ‘Protect Our Kids’ Day of Action to Fight Trump and Musk’s Cuts to America’s Public Schools (March 3, 2025)
The American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts will join thousands of other educators, students, and activists across the state and country to fight back against Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s cruel cuts to public schools as part of a national day of action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 4.
Nationwide, the AFT’s “Protect our Kids” Day of Action seeks to raise awareness about the Trump Administration’s plans to dismantle the Department of Education and slash federal education funding across the board, which will increase class sizes, close schools and hurt opportunities for kids from chronically under-resourced neighborhoods and kids with disabilities. The day will include a press conference hosted by the AFT featuring national education leaders, including AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang.
The AFT Massachusetts and its local affiliates have a number of events across the state scheduled as part of the day, including a virtual Protect Our Kids: Massachusetts Town Hall tomorrow at 7 p.m. with other education advocates about what the Administration’s plans mean for Massachusetts specifically and steps the state can take to protect the students and communities of the Commonwealth. In addition to hosting the Town Hall, AFT Massachusetts President Tang will join local members at their events tomorrow in Revere and Lynn.
Members of the media interested in attending the Massachusetts Town Hall must pre-register with EmilyFitzmaurice (emily@crawfordstrategies.com).
REVERE EDUCATORS WEAR RED AND HOST WALK-INS TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the Revere Federation of Paraprofessionals and the Revere Teachers Association Wear Red for Ed(ucation) across Revere Public Schools and host a walk-in at Rumney Marsh Middle School as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Revere, which receives over $6.9 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 7:10 a.m.
WHO: Revere paraprofessionals and educators across Revere Public Schools; AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang joins members of the Revere Federation of Paraprofessionals, an AFT-Massachusetts local, plus MTA President Max Page and members of the Revere Teachers Association (an MTA local) for the walk-in
WHERE: Rumney Marsh Middle School, 140 American Legion Highway, Revere
LAWRENCE TEACHERS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Lawrence Public School educators Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Lawrence, which receives over $14.2 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 7:30 am - 3:30 pm
WHO: Lawrence educators and education advocates, families, and supporters including members of the Lawrence Teachers Union 1019, Lawrence Federation of Paraprofessionals, and Lawrence Administrative Support Staff Association
WHERE: Lawrence Public Schools
LYNN EDUCATORS WEAR RED AND HOST WALK-INS TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Lynn educators Wear Red for Ed(ucation) and host walk-ins at the City’s public schools as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Lynn, which receives over $15.5 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; Walk-ins occurring 15 minutes before the start of the school day (7:30 or 8 am)
WHO: Lynn educators and education advocates, families, and supporters, including members of the Lynn Teachers Union, which represents 2,300 teachers, paraprofessionals, and therapists in in Lynn public schools; AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang will join Lynn teachers for the walk-in at Lincoln-Thompson Elementary
WHERE: Across Lynn Public schools
(AFT-MA President Jessica Tang will join LTU at Lincoln-Thompson Elementary, 115 Gardiner Street, Lynn at 8 am)
AMESBURY EDUCATORS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the AFT Amesbury Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Amesbury, which receives over $1 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 7:30am - 3pm
WHO: Members of AFT Amesbury, which represents teachers, nurses, counselors, social workers, paraprofessionals, tutors, and multi-purpose facilities technicians in the Amesbury Public Schools
WHERE: Amesbury Public Schools
BOSTON EDUCATORS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Boston educators Wear Red for Ed(ucation) to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Boston, which receives over $71 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9am - 5pm
WHO: Members of the Boston Teachers Union, which represents teachers and other professionals including school nurses, psychologists, guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, and substitute teachers.
WHERE: Boston Public Schools
CHELSEA EDUCATORS, PARAPROFESSIONALS, AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the Chelsea Teachers Union Wear Red for Ed(ucation) to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Chelsea, which receives over $6.9 million in federal education funding each year. Members will also be on hand at pick-up and drop-off times to speak about what this means for CPS and the students it serves.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9am - 4pm
WHO: Members of the Chelsea Teachers Union, which represents teachers, paraprofessionals, and clerical staff in the Chelsea Public Schools
WHERE: Chelsea Public Schools
SHORE COLLABORATIVE EDUCATORS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Shore Educational Collaborative teachers and paraprofessionals Wear Red for Ed(ucation) to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on schools like the Shore Collaborative and the students they serve, which includes children with disabilities starting at preschool through graduation (through age 22) from Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Revere, Saugus, Winthrop, Cambridge, Somerville, and Medford.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9am - 3pm
WHO: Members of LEA Professional Association, Local 3954 - which represents teachers and paraprofessionals at the Shore Educational Collaborative
WHERE: Shore Educational Collaborative, 100 Revere Beach Parkway, Chelsea, MA
NORFOLK AGGIE EDUCATORS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the Norfolk County Agricultural School Federation of Teachers Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on career technical education and vocational education schools in Massachusetts, which receive $37 million annually in federal education funding
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 8am - 3pm
WHO: Norfolk County Agricultural High School educators
WHERE: Norfolk County Agricultural High School, 400 Main Street, Walpole
PITTSFIELD SCHOOL EMPLOYEES WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the Pittsfield Federation of School Employees Local 1315 Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Trump Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Pittsfield, which receives nearly $5 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9 am
WHO: Pittsfield Public School paraprofessionals, food service workers, bus drivers and monitors, clerical workers, and custodians
WHERE: Pittsfield Public Schools
SALEM EDUCATORS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Salem educators Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Salem, which receives over $3 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9am - 4pm
WHO: Salem educators (Salem Teachers Union Local 1258) and education advocates, families, and supporters
WHERE: Salem Public Schools
SPRINGFIELD PARAPROFESSIONALS WEAR RED TO ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’
WHAT: Members of the Springfield Federation of Paraprofessionals Wear Red for Ed(ucation) as part of the Protect Our Kids Day of Action to raise awareness of the Administration’s actions and their impact on cities like Springfield, which receives over $39 million in federal education funding each year.
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4; 9am - 4pm
WHO: Springfield Public Schools paraprofessionals
WHERE: Springfield Public Schools
NATIONAL KICK-OFF PRESS CONFERENCE: ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’ DAY OF ACTION
WHAT: Protect Our Kids Day of Action Kick-Off Press Conference
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 10:00am (EST)
WHO: AFT President Randi Weingarten, AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang, Ohio Federation of Teachers President Melissa Cropper, LCLAA Executive Board Member Sonia Vasquez Luna, Michigan Education Justice Coalition Co-Director Rachelle Crow-Hercher, and more.
WHERE: Virtual via Zoom webinar.
RSVP: Members of the media must pre-register here.
AFT MASSACHUSETTS TOWN HALL EVENT: ‘PROTECT OUR KIDS’ TO FOCUS ON STATEWIDE IMPACTS OF DANGEROUS TRUMP AGENDA
WHAT: Protect Our Kids Day of Action - Massachusetts Town Hall
WHEN: Tuesday, March 4, 7:00pm (EST)
WHO: Speakers will include community members and residents impacted by these threats along with education and community leaders from various groups including AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang, Boston Teachers Union, Albert Shanker Institute, Citizens for Juvenile Justice, Massachusetts AFL-CIO, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Massachusetts Education Justice Alliance, and more.
WHERE: Virtual via Zoom webinar.
RSVP: Members of the media must pre-register with Emily Fitzmaurice (emily@crawfordstrategies.com).