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Boston Globe
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Educators fear impact of Trump's transgender crackdown on students, schools
The Beverly school district acknowledges and respects the identities of their transgender students, including using their chosen names in class. And are even designating some bathrooms as gender-neutral. But Collins and other educators worry such efforts could be threatened under President Trump, who has railed against diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in schools and universities. Trump has declared there are Some school districts, wary of risking the president's ire or cuts to their budgets, could walk back public support for transgender students, educators, and LGBTQ, advocates said. They worry state and school policies that protect the rights of transgender students could soon be threatened. Advertisement 'I am afraid for the safety of my individual students,' said Collins, who has been a counselor since 2019. He's confident Beverly won't buckle under any pressure, but is concerned for students elsewhere. 'I am very afraid of what's going to happen if the supports that still do exist, are taken away.' While it's unclear whether Trump has the authority to withhold federal funds from K-12 schools, his actions have sown uncertainty across Massachusetts, said Glenn Koocher, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, an organization representing school boards across the state. 'We don't know what Trump might do. And this is very uncharted territory,' Koocher said. Massachusetts and schools are expected to respect a student's sincere assertion of that identity, The law doesn't require schools to notify parents if their child seeks to be identified by a different name or pronouns that weren't assigned at birth. Advertisement Some parents said Trump's actions are overdue, pointing to cases where New England schools kept parents in the dark when their children told their educators they wanted help transitioning or asked to be addressed by names or pronouns that weren't assigned at birth. Trump's executive order instructs federal agencies to withhold funding from schools that recognize students' by their gender, name and pronouns not assigned at birth, as well as 'deliberately conceal' from a student's parents the child's wishes to use a different name or pronouns in school. His order will 'restore parental rights, unbiased education, and healthy school policies for families,' Pam Ahern, co-director and president of Parental Rights Natick, said in a statement. 'Trump's executive order is a step toward removing indoctrination and restoring safe policies, parental rights, unbiased/fact-based learning, and accountability in public education,' Ahern said. In Ludlow, parents of an 11-year-old who identified as 'genderqueer' and used nonbinary pronouns on campus, Many state and local education officials argue they won't capitulate on the rights of transgender students. Russell D. Johnston, acting commissioner for Massachusetts' education department, has reiterated that state law prohibits discrimination in public schools based on several factors, including Advertisement Many school districts, including Boston, Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester, and Lowell, have publicly declared support for the LGBTQ community, including transgender students, since Trump took office. Some administrators remain wary. New Bedford Superintendent Andrew B. O'Leary warned in a statement: 'I have no doubt that more divisive rhetoric and chaotic attempts to diminish school climates and target transgender and nonbinary students lies ahead.' Vanessa Ford, a mother of a transgender teenager from the North Shore and a former teacher Trump's orders are measures meant to 'confuse, bully, and taunt people into submission,' Ford said. The antitrans rhetoric from Trump and other elected leaders already has made life harder for transgender youth, a group that is already at higher risk for substance abuse and suicide, activists said. In one Massachusetts community, a 12-year-old recently outed himself as transgender during a public meeting of his local school board. He asked for support; he feared reprisal, he said at the meeting. 'But I have chosen to be brave,' he told officials. The boy and his mother agreed to be interviewed on the condition they not be identified, out of fear of harassment from people outside their community. In the interview, the boy said he would tell Trump: 'What if you were in my shoes? That you're a 12-year-old kid, and I'm the president making these laws that are harming you ... I don't think he would like that.' Advertisement Prior to Trump's election, there have been cases of teachers across the country getting fired and facing disciplinary action for supporting or perceiving to support LGBTQ students, mostly in red or purple states with so-called 'Don't Say Gay' laws in place or making their way through local legislatures. In Cobb County, Georgia, a teacher was fired in 2023 for reading a book about gender fluidity after the district received complaints from parents. In Ohio, a substitute teacher was fired in 2022 after handing out Pride bracelets to students. Teachers who are LGBTQ themselves have also faced threats to their personal safety since LGBTQ education in schools and trans rights became political talking points, particularly after Trump's first term began in 2017, when it In 2023, in Charleston, S.C., a trans teacher left his job and moved because a school board member allegedly threatened to show up to his house with a gun after the teacher came out to his class. That same year, a Florida teacher was fired from their job for using a gender-neutral honorific. In Rhode Island, lawmakers are considering a bill this year that would categorize women by their Officials in Connecticut Advertisement Massachusetts hasn't seen the large-scale pushback against the LGBTQ community that has occurred in other states, like Florida, where the state Board of Education 'There's going to be students who are going to be impacted for the rest of their lives because of what's happening right now,' said Bob Bardwell, executive director of the Massachusetts School Counselors Association. Allyssa Beird, a fifth-grade teacher in Middleborough, said educators must support their students, including transgender children, despite the pressure from Trump. 'I would hope that we would continually stand for human rights, even if it's challenging,' she said. The Great Divide team explores educational inequality in Boston and statewide. to receive our newsletter, and send ideas and tips to . Auzzy Byrdsell of the Globe staff contributed to this report. John Hilliard can be reached at
Boston Globe
27-02-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Things are looking up at new South Station atrium
When complete, the 690-foot skyscraper will feature 680,000 square feet of office space, 166 Ritz-Carlton branded condominiums on its upper 16 floors, a private sky park on the 11th floor, and an expanded South Station bus terminal. Advertisement In the meantime, some commuters are praising the renovations. 'We have a closer to finished ceiling!' Tracy O'Connell Novick, a field director with the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, wrote in a Facebook State employee Joe Maresco also took note of the signature arches. 'Walked through some of the new renovations at South Station,' Maresco The renovations and a revamped outdoor concourse area are meant to transform the busy transit hub into 'an architecturally significant gateway to the city,' according to the project's On Thursday, Riley Martin, a commuter from Norwood, said the new archways were nice, but said she wished the construction allowed for more natural light. 'There used to be so much more sunlight,' she said. 'I miss that.' A young woman compared the green lights that are illuminating the new archways to the Emerald City, a reference to the Wizard of Oz. 'It's definitely interesting, like I'm walking into the Emerald City or something,' she said. The project overall hasn't been without setbacks. Construction was paused for a day in April Advertisement No one was hurt in either incident. Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at
Politico
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Politico
New coalition urges education funding fix
FIRE DRILL — Greater demand for mental health services, rising costs from inflation and revenues that aren't keeping up. It's this 'perfect storm' in education funding that has a group of more than a dozen unions and advocacy groups uniting to call for fixes to the state's education funding formula. Members of the coalition, dubbed United for Our Future, include Massachusetts Teachers Association, the Massachusetts Association of School Committees, Lawyers for Civil Rights, and the Massachusetts chapter of the AFL-CIO, among others. The organizations came together to 'collectively emphasize the urgency of this moment and the shared commitment of cherishing public education in Massachusetts and assuring that our public schools receive the resources they need to thrive,' they wrote in a letter announcing the coalition's formation. It's a reunion of sorts. Many of the groups who signed onto the letter were members of the Council for Fair School Finance, the group that sued the state decades ago arguing it was failing to meet the constitutional requirement to provide students in Massachusetts with a quality education. 'This is a group that represents really a wide range in the public education community,' MTA President Max Page told Playbook. 'It's really broad, and it's not necessarily groups that agree on everything, but we are clearly unified around this funding crisis that is before us.' The focus is on 'advancing a package of bills that we know will help to address the funding issues in our schools,' said Jessica Tang, president of AFT Massachusetts, one of the groups that's part of the coalition. Among the coalition's chief concerns: a school funding formula that's failing to keep up with inflation, rising costs for out-of-district transportation and special education programs and lagging aid for rural schools. And then there's the question mark around federal funding. 'Particularly with the context of the federal funding and possible loss of Title I funds, especially in a state like Massachusetts, we really do have to show that we are going to protect our public schools,' Tang said. Massachusetts recently ranked at the top for reading and math scores in the National Assessment of Educational Progress. But the coalition is warning that might not last. 'We know that education budgets – at the federal, state and local levels – reflect our commitment to public education. We often say that 'What we fund, we value,' the letter reads. 'If Massachusetts is committed to remaining a national leader in public education, and we all are committed to doing what is right for students, we must find creative ways in this difficult fiscal environment to provide schools and districts with the funding to meet the growing needs of students and families. GOOD TUESDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. The group didn't shy away from taking a shot or two in its letter. 'State officials cannot continue to declare proudly that the Circuit Breaker program is 'fully funded' when districts have to dedicate time and resources to secure supplemental funding to cover actual costs,' they write. TODAY — Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll chairs a meeting of the Local Government Advisory Commission at 1 p.m. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu visits Madison Park Technical Vocational High School at 10 a.m. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL — 'Senate Loads Reform Bill With Shelter Reporting Requirements,' by Colin A. Young, State House News Service (paywall): 'Top Senate Democrats are on board with many of the changes to the overburdened family shelter system that the House included in its funding and reform bill, but are also seeking to impose additional reporting requirements on the Healey administration in a $425 million bill expected to pass by Thursday. Like the version that the House passed last week (H 58), the bill introduced by Sen. Michael Rodrigues on Monday (S 16) would fund the emergency assistance (EA) family shelter program through June and give the Healey administration new, but temporary, authority to restrict eligibility for state emergency shelters as well as permanent mandates aimed at tightening security.' FROM THE HUB — 'Round 3: Boston City Council set to vote on Mayor Wu's tax shift legislation Wednesday,' by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'The City Council is expected to vote this week on a mayoral home rule petition that seeks to alter property tax rates set by the city in a way that would tax businesses at a higher rate to provide relief for homeowners grappling with steep increases. The proposal before the Council marks a third effort by the mayor's office to push through the controversial legislation, which died twice last year amid intense opposition on Beacon Hill.' — 'White Stadium deal clears key milestone as BOS Nation owners put $25M into escrow fund,' by Bill Forry, the Dorchester Reporter: 'The pro women's soccer team that will use Franklin Park's White Stadium as its home playing field has followed through on a key provision of its lease commitment with the city of Boston by depositing $25 million into an escrow account that now clears the way for major demolition work to begin in the coming days and weeks. The city of Boston and Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper were formally notified of the transaction in a letter sent by an attorney representing the BOS Nation football team [Monday].' WHAT'S ON CAMPBELL'S DOCKET — 'Judge halts Trump administration's cap on NIH funds after Mass. and 21 other states sue,' by Roberto Scalese, WBUR: 'A federal judge in Boston granted an emergency temporary restraining order to block the Trump administration's effort to significantly limit funds distributed by the National Institutes of Health. The move was in response to the multi-state lawsuit filed by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and joined by 21 other state attorneys general. The order went into effect immediately upon issue Monday evening.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL PAC IT UP — Less than a week after Boston Mayor Michelle Wu drew her first high-profile challenger, a PAC is already lining up to play in the race. The independent expenditure PAC 'Your City, Your Future' was created to 'support candidates who work to create a thriving, affordable and sustainable Boston for all and oppose those who do not,' according to a filing with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance. Rebecca St. Amand is listed as the chair. MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — 'ICE lodges detainer against man charged with Lynn restaurant owner's killing,' by Charlie McKenna, MassLive: 'A 25-year-old man charged with killing a Lynn restaurant owner is in the United States illegally, federal immigration officials said Monday. Eric Dionida German-Pena, a native of the Dominican Republic, is charged with murder in connection with the death of 48-year-old Ilias Mavros.' — 'Guatemalan immigrant detained in immigration raid in New Bedford,' by Gerardo Beltran Salinas, The New Bedford Light. —'Anxiety ramps up among Framingham immigrant community over reports of ICE raids,' by Tom Benoit, MetroWest Daily News. YAHD SIGNS AND BUMPAH STICKAHS — 'State Democratic and Republican party chairs look forward to governor's race,' by Hannah Loss, GBH News. FROM THE DELEGATION — ''A $2 billion chainsaw to the Massachusetts economy': Auchincloss fires back at NIH funding cuts,' by Jon Chesto, The Boston Globe: 'Calling it a $2 billion tax on Massachusetts, US Representative Jake Auchincloss said on Monday that he will try building congressional support this week to exert pressure on the National Institutes of Health to halt its new policy of sharply curtailing subsidies for overhead costs associated with research projects. The National Institutes of Health sparked an uproar late on Friday by announcing it would pare back its reimbursement rate for indirect costs, such as equipment and facilities, for NIH-funded research to 15 percent. Many institutions get reimbursement rates for indirect costs that exceed 50 percent, through negotiated rates set with the NIH; Harvard University, for example, has a reimbursement rate of 69 percent.' TRUMPACHUSETTS — 'Trump's 'deferred resignation' offer for federal workers remains in limbo,' by Josh Gerstein, POLITICO: 'More than 2 million federal workers will have to keep waiting for clarity over President Donald Trump's controversial 'deferred resignation' plan after a federal judge heard arguments Monday about the program's legality without issuing an immediate ruling about its future. During an hour-long hearing, U.S. District Judge George O'Toole gave few hints about his views on the program, which purports to allow federal workers to resign immediately but remain on the federal payroll through September.' HAHVAHD YAHD — 'Is Harvard responsible for the alleged sale of body parts from its medical school morgue?,' by Jennifer Smith, CommonWealth Beacon: 'When a family member donates their loved one's remains to a hospital, medical school, or research program, they consider an array of possible outcomes. The bodies will be examined, dismantled as necessary for donation or scientific purposes, possibly save current or future lives, and contribute meaningfully to societal understanding of anatomy and disease. Being stripped for parts and sold are not generally on that list. But it is still unclear if the behavior of a Harvard morgue manager who allegedly ran a multi-state human remains scheme – 'ghoulish' in the words of a Supreme Judicial Court justice considering the case – means that the Ivy League school is also on the hook.' FROM THE 413 — 'Amherst school budget best-case scenario: 17 positions gone,' by Scott Merzbach, Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'Unless state aid increases, other sources of funding are found or member towns can contribute more, a fiscal year 2026 budget that eliminates around 17 positions may be the best-case scenario for the Amherst-Pelham Regional Schools, according to information presented at a 'Four Towns Meeting' Saturday. Officials from Amherst, Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett, coming together for the third time this school year at the middle school library, largely agreed on a funding plan that will lead to an average of 4% assessment increases for the communities, but which will mean cuts at the high school and middle school: about five classroom teachers, five paraeducators, two clerical staff and five members of the central office.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — 'Mass. regains access to some federal funds, but environmental projects still face uncertain future,' by Barbara Moran and Miriam Wasser, WBUR: 'Massachusetts gained access to at least some previously frozen federal money Monday after a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately restore all funding. The sweeping freeze of federal funds is 'likely unconstitutional and has caused and continues to cause irreparable harm to a vast portion of this country,' Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. wrote in his order. But the future of the projects the money will support — many of which protect public health, clean up environmental pollution and tackle climate change — remains unclear as officials grapple with ongoing uncertainty.' — 'City Council to take up delayed vote Tues. on city becoming 'sanctuary' for transgender, gender-diverse people,' by Toni Caushi, Telegram & Gazette: 'A delayed vote on a petition calling for the city to be designated as a 'sanctuary for transgender and gender-diverse people' is set to be revisited at Tuesday's City Council. Gender issues continue to loom over the council's weekly sessions. In last week's meeting, members of the LGBTQ+ community lambasted councilors who voiced risks about the city possibly losing federal funding in case of an in-favor vote.' — 'Quincy councilor objects to St Michael statue design: 'Us versus them',' by Peter Blandino, The Patriot Ledger: 'Ward 5 City Councilor and retired Quincy Police Lt. Dan Minton has voiced his opposition to plans for a pair of 10-foot-tall bronze statues. depicting St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian, which will adorn the facade of the new public safety headquarters that is under construction and due to be completed in October. On Saturday night, Feb. 8, Minton posted to Facebook that he had no knowledge of the statues prior to a report published by The Patriot Ledger that morning. Minton's objections related specifically to the image of St. Michael, depicted in a working model for the final statue, which Mayor Thomas Koch shared with The Patriot Ledger.' MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE — 'N.H. governor, Mayor of Lawrence will team up in fight against fentanyl and crime,' by Matthew Medgar, Boston Herald: 'A Massachusetts mayor called on New Hampshire's governor for help Monday, especially with a deadly version of the opioid fentanyl laced with a tranquilizer, xylazine, that leaves users stunned like zombies and potentially out of reach of common anti-overdose drugs. Granite State Gov. Kelly Ayotte welcomed Lawrence Mayor Brian DePeña to the New Hampshire State House Monday where they stood together along with law enforcement from both states and agreed that there is much more the two states can do to combat crime and fight the scourge of opioid overdoses.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Shane Pac is now director of policy and research for the Boston City Council (central staff). He was the director of legislative budget analysis. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Governor's Councilor Terrence Kennedy, E&E News/POLITICO's Evan Lehmann, Hannah Lindow, Olga Davidson and Cameron Merritt.
