Springfield Education Association

10/15/2026

10/11/2026

Join the Springfield Education Association for a Parent, Educator, and Community Conversation on AI in Schools.

The two largest school districts in the country have put one-year moratoriums on generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in classrooms. This happened because parents and educators voiced strong concerns about student privacy, lack of transparency by the District, and how AI would impact the vital role teachers play in student learning.

Public schools in Springfield decided to pause pilot programs with Alpha School, but they may initiate the partnership to replace teachers with Alpha’s AI tutors in the future.

The Springfield Education Association is bringing teachers, parents, students and community members together to discuss and understand what is at stake when Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies enter Springfield classrooms.

Free food and childcare at the event. Spanish translation available.

🔗 RSVP at this link: forms.gle/LNubAw46gkWk7SKVA

Conversación de padres, educadores y la comunidad sobre la IA en las escuelas

Los dos distritos escolares más grandes del país han puesto moratorias de un año sobre el uso de la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) generativa en las aulas. Esto sucedió porque los padres y educadores expresaron fuertes preocupaciones sobre la privacidad de los estudiantes y cómo la IA afectaría el papel vital que desempeñan los maestros en el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

Las escuelas públicas de Springfield decidieron pausar los programas piloto con Alpha School, pero pueden iniciar la asociación para reemplazar a los maestros con los tutores de IA de Alpha en el futuro.

La Springfield Education Association está reuniendo a maestros, padres, estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad para discutir y comprender lo que está en juego cuando las empresas de Inteligencia Artificial (IA) ingresan a las aulas de Springfield.

Comida y cuidado de niños gratuitos en el evento. Traducción al español disponible.

🔗 RSVP Aquí: forms.gle/LNubAw46gkWk7SKVA

10/05/2026

The Springfield Empowerment Zone Partnership is able to operate without democratic oversight. At a time when the country’s biggest school districts are putting safeguards in place to protect student learning from AI use and limit the detrimental effects of screen time, the SEZP model is leaving our students vulnerable to AI-powered Ed-tech companies to experiment with their learning.

Join us Wednesday Oct. 14, 6-8PM, Mt. Zion/Dunbar Community Center, 33 Oak Street, Springfield, MA

🔗RSVP & Op-Ed links in bio

09/28/2026

Springfield Public Schools was targeted by a Cyber Attack this September. The attack left many key systems which are essential to the normal function of schools to be inoperable. Many of these systems still continue to be operating below normal functionality.

The result of the district’s decision to return to schools despite these systems being down has led to a change in working conditions of educators. Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 150E, the SEA has the right to bargain the impact of this decision. The SEA has put forth 14 proposals to the District to push them to be transparent and fair with educators at a time when we’ve stepped up to continue educating our children under unusual circumstances.

Today, the SEA and the District were scheduled to meet for the second bargaining session. Though, since the District had already provide responses to some proposals via email, they figured they could reschedule.

Here are the SEA proposals and the District responses so far.

The District did send an all staff email with additional info concerning some of these items but since this info was not sent to the SEA at this point, it is currently omitted from this summary. Additional updates may be forthcoming as a result.

09/28/2026

Springfield Public Schools was targeted by a Cyber Attack this September. The attack left many key systems which are essential to the normal function of schools to be inoperable. Many of these systems still continue to be operating below normal functionality.

The result of the district’s decision to return to schools despite these systems being down has led to a change in working conditions of educators. Under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 150E, the SEA has the right to bargain the impact of this decision.

Attached are the 14 proposals the SEA brought forward to the district at the first Impact Bargaining Session last week. These proposals are intended to push the district to be transparent and fair with educators in a time where we have stepped up to continue educating our students.

The next impact bargaining session is Monday 9/28 at 4:00 pm on Zoom. All SEA educators are welcome to attend as silent representatives.

09/27/2026

What’s happening in the SEA this week?

9/28: when the district made the decision to return to school before key systems became live, it resulted in major changes to our working conditions. As a result, we are bargaining over the consequences of that decision (this is called Impact Bargaining). Watch the bargaining session on Zoom at 4:00.

10/1: The second Legislative Board meeting of the new school year is happening at the Springfield Central High School library and on Zoom on Thursday 10/1.

A lot has happened in our schools since our last meeting. Lboard presents an opportunity for Association Reps to discuss these issues and determine a path forward for addressing them.

All SEA members are empowered to observe meetings of the legislative board.

09/25/2026

Both SEA President Riley Hernandez and MTA President Matt Bach urge MA officials to take action on the invasion of Artificial Intelligence into our schools.

💬 Who should decide what happens in our classrooms — educators or ed tech companies?

MTA President Matt Bach and Springfield Education Association President Riley Hernandez call on Massachusetts officials to:

- Protect the integrity and craft of teaching by controlling how ed tech companies operate in the state.

- Require school districts to observe a moratorium on entering into agreements with providers of artificial intelligence.

- Put a permanent end to an experiment on Springfield children that would expose them to a teaching model driven by AI tutors instead of educators. (Following the cyber attack and mounting opposition from educators and community members, that pilot program has been paused, but not eliminated.)

Link to op-ed is in the comments.

09/25/2026

Parent, Educator, and Community Conversation on AI in Schools

The two largest school districts in the country have put one-year moratoriums on generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) usage in classrooms. This happened because parents and educators voiced strong concerns about student privacy and how AI would impact the vital role teachers play in student learning.

Public schools in Springfield decided to pause pilot programs with Alpha School, but they may initiate the partnership to replace teachers with Alpha’s AI tutors in the future.

The Springfield Education Association is bringing teachers, parents, students and community members together to discuss and understand what is at stake when Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies enter Springfield classrooms.

🔗 RSVP by following this link: https://forms.gle/LNubAw46gkWk7SKVA

Conversación de padres, educadores y la comunidad sobre la IA en las escuelas

Los dos distritos escolares más grandes del país han puesto moratorias de un año sobre el uso de la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) generativa en las aulas. Esto sucedió porque los padres y educadores expresaron fuertes preocupaciones sobre la privacidad de los estudiantes y cómo la IA afectaría el papel vital que desempeñan los maestros en el aprendizaje de los estudiantes.

Las escuelas públicas de Springfield decidieron pausar los programas piloto con Alpha School, pero pueden iniciar la asociación para reemplazar a los maestros con los tutores de IA de Alpha en el futuro.

La Springfield Education Association está reuniendo a maestros, padres, estudiantes y miembros de la comunidad para discutir y comprender lo que está en juego cuando las empresas de Inteligencia Artificial (IA) ingresan a las aulas de Springfield.

09/15/2026

Springfield Public Schools continues to plan their roll-out of the Alpha School A.I. instructional model even after the recent cyberattack.

Alpha School is a for-profit company that aims to use artificial-intelligence-driven software to replace traditional teachers.

The Springfield Empowerment Zone is permitting this company to experiment on Springfield students with this A.I. instructional method at two middle schools.

The Springfield Education Association continues the fight against Alpha School. Join the SEA organizing committee as we plan against them.

When: Thursday 9/17 at 4:15
Where: SEA Office and Zoom (link coming to union emails)

Join the force working against Alpha School in Springfield

09/13/2026

What actions can I take to help build union power this week? SEPTEMBER 9.14 to 9.18

Thursday 9/17: Alpha School, an private for-profit AI technology company, is still intending to run a pilot program, experimenting on our students, to test their AI instructional model. Join the organizing committee in the SEA Office (450 Cottage ST, Suite 5) at 4:15 to help organize against this.

Thursday 9/17 The Tools 4 Teaching Team will be at their Tapley St location with free supplies for teachers. Drop in from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm.

Friday 9/18: The SEA is hosting a back-to-school all-member social at White Lion from 3:30 to 7:30 pm. This is a great opportunity to invite new educators and seasoned coworkers to join in on union activity in a low-stress (and fun) environment.