Happy Almost-Spring Public Education Allies!
I am writing today because there is an important bill – HB 1492 – being heard in the Maryland General Assembly next week and one of our coalition partners, the Baltimore Teachers Union, has organized a virtual town hall to prepare for this hearing this Saturday, March 7, 2026 from 12:00pm to 12:45pm. We hope you will log on to hear directly from educators including TAAAC members about the importance of having the right to strike. Sign up here to get the link.
House Bill 1492 will give public school educators and public librarians the right to strike. This right is ultimately about ensuring that our state and county governments are making real investments into the public schools that our young people deserve. The right to strike gives students’ primary advocates–their teachers and school staff–real leverage at the bargaining table to ensure better learning conditions and outcomes for students. This includes more staffing, reduced class sizes, improved safety, better resourced schools and libraries, improved facilities, and teachers’ improved ability to focus on their students by reducing the need for second jobs.
We very recently observed the power of a strike in San Francisco, California, in fighting back against austerity budgeting that ultimately harms students. The deal educators reached with their district officials will reverse layoffs, increase compensation and health benefits that will help reduce the number of vacant teacher and support staff positions, and reduce caseloads for special educators, allowing them to give more attention to each child they serve. It also includes protection for immigrant students and prevents teachers from being replaced by AI.
The hearing itself on HB 1492, the Right to Strike Bill, will be held on Wednesday, March 11 at 1:00 pm. There will be a rally on Lawyers Mall at NOON before the hearing. Then the goal is to pack the hearing room with supporters of the bill. Sign up to attend the rally, help pack the hearing room, and/or get more information about this effort, complete the form here and we will see you there!
In solidarity,
Kristina Korona
TAAAC President
TAAAC Documentary Showing: Las Abogadas, Tuesday, March 17, 2026 6-8pm
Save the Date for the No Kings 3 Rally
Mutual Aid Support for Jenny Lind Elementary in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Rent is due today. Energy bills are due today. Food is needed today.
This is our opportunity to work together to provide for one another’s immediate survival, because we know that the systems we are currently living under are not sufficient. We know that there are folks in Anne Arundel County who need aid too; we and many of you are already participating locally. We hope that our partnership with the mutual aid network at Jenny Lind Elementary School will not only help its families, but also help TAAAC to learn more about school-based mutual aid and enable us to meet the moment when this kind of aid becomes necessary in Anne Arundel on an even larger scale.
Already, people from all over the country have donated $22,000 to families at Jenny Lind, almost all of which has already been distributed. To support these families through February, the community predicts a need of an additional $14,000. Click the buttons to take action today.
