Mike Antonucci, Peter Cunningham and the petty attacks on the Mass Teachers union following MTA’s win at the polls.
Last November’s election had few wins for progressives.
But in Massachusetts, against all odds, the grassroots organizing of the rank and file members of the state teachers union, led by a reform union leadership, did get a win.
They beat back a corporate reform ballot issue that would have lifted the cap on charter schools.
The pro-charter folks spent $24 million, including $2 million from the Walton family, $500,000 from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and $15 million from the pro-charter group Families for Excellent Schools.
Massachusetts banks and other corporations donated $500,000 for the cause.
A few hedge fund managers and corporation CEOs wrote checks for a $1 million.
The NEA, the AFT and the MTA spent about $15 million, making it the most expensive Massachusetts ballot measure ever.
So, count on the union-haters like Mike Antonucci and the charter-lovers like Peter Cunningham to hold a grudge.
They are still licking their wounds.
When a Boston charter school teacher was chosen the National Teacher of the Year, some rank and file members of the MTA were suspicious of the motives behind a New Business Item congratulating her. The NBI was defeated and within 24 hours the news Mike Antonucci, Peter Cunningham and the petty attacks on the Mass Teachers union following MTA’s win at the polls. | Fred Klonsky:
