On January 31, while the Newton Teachers Association (NTA) and School Committee held their nightly press conferences inside the Education Center, two groups — NTA supporters and members of the recently formed Kids First — gathered outside, presenting different messages. NTA members and supporters continued their day-long rally, singing, dancing, and chanting in support of their strike: “For our kids. We want to go back, we need to go back,” and “Hold the line.” Separately, Kids First parents and children struggled to be heard as they held a press conference demanding that schools be re-opened and the strike come to an end.
In the Kids First press conference, David Goldberg, one of the parents who filed an Emergency Order to Intervene in the Injunction against the NTA, expressed his frustration with the strike and asked, “Where is the Governor and elected officials to end this strike?”
Dylan Ross, graduate of NPS and NPS parent, who is also a member of a union, said he can relate to the teachers’ situation as he has worked without a contract. He said he loved his teachers and he loves his children’s teachers but he is at the point where he can no longer respect the NTA’s action. “Kids are suffering from lack of structure, lack of productivity and uncertainty from day to day, and education.” He referred to the press conference held by 15 members of the City Council and said that every single elected official in the City believes that the offer on the table is fair. “At this point, you’ve go to ask, who is keeping the kids out of school? It’s Mike Zilles and the NTA.” He added, “Everyone is begging you to go to school.”
Jessica Weed, parent of three elementary school students, said her kids are suffering and thanked School Committee Chair Chris Brezski for working night and day. She said, “These kids went through COVID. They stayed home for the adults. …Kids belong in school.”
Several children also made statements asking to go back to school. They struggled to be heard while NTA members and supporters continued to chant: “For our kids. We want to go back, we need to go back,” and “Hold the line.” The noise was pronounced during the statement by one of the students — who has filed a motion against the NTA — who talked about her learning disability in the context of missed school time to work on projects. After their statements, Kids First parents chanted back, “Open our schools.”