A partnership of the Boston Teachers Union and UMass Boston
Paraprofessionals
Jenna Fitzgerald wrote this poem for paraprofessionals in 1986. Their representation by the BTU was under heavy debate, and the status of their contracts were constantly in limbo. “Poem for Paraprofessionals.” Courtesy of University Archives and Special Collections, UMass Boston
Women in education is not limited to teachers. It includes clerical workers, school nurses, and teachers aides. These groups, primarily composed of women, faced many of the same issues as teachers. They collectively were referred to as paraprofessionals, and heavy debate surrounded their inclusion in the BTU’s representation.
