SEIU leaders attended a briefing and campaign kickoff to oppose lifting the state cap on charter schools.

Nearly one quarter of Local 888 members work for public schools. This year charter schools drained public school budgets by more than $400 million.  If the cap on charter schools is lifted, it would take even more funding from public schools.

[caption id="attachment_6937" align="alignright" width="300"]Secretary-Treasurer Brenda Rodrigues and Local 888 executive board members Jorge Vargas, Charlotte Killam and Mike Kelly attended the "Keep the Cap" briefing.[/caption]

A measure on the November 2016 ballot seeks to lift the cap on charter schools in Massachusetts.  If this ballot measure passes, up to 12 new charter schools could be added every year forever, taking away billions of dollars from public schools and hurting students.  School employees would lose jobs and vital programs would be eliminated.

Increasing the number of charter schools will:

• Take precious resources out of local schools, increase class sizes and divert funding for art, science and music programs.
• Create a separate and unequal school system that underserves English language learners and special needs students.
• Result in even more high-stakes testing, taking educators and students away from real teaching and learning.

All Local 888 members are urged to get involved in the campaign by visiting: saveourpublicschoolsma.com