The struggles and gains that the members of the Boston Teachers Union (BTU) have fought for make up the rich history of this Union. Along with these important achievements, it is the teachers who have contributed to and created this history. Therefore, let us appreciate these teachers by diving into the BTU’s newspaper to discover what the teachers’ voices had to say. What these letters offer are exactly what the Union officials, school committee members, and politicians often cannot provide. They give us the experience from those who are on the front lines. It is only the members of the Union who are able to truly understand what the issues within the education system are. By looking at this history, not only do we gain a better understanding of the past, we can develop a clearer picture for the future.
Teachers used their voices to bring the issues they were facing to light. They also used their experience through their letters to the editor to problem solve some possible solutions. But teachers also shared their views in a variety of other ways in this newspaper. Teachers published tips and tricks on how to teach, they wrote and shared their own poetry, and they offered different strategies on how to deal with stress and burnout in the profession.