This past Thursday was Advocacy Day at the State House, and hundreds of passionate early education supporters told their stories about educating young children to members of the state Legislature.
Here are some of the event’s Tweets, quotes, and photos gathered from Twitter, the State House News Service, WWLP, and Advocacy Day participants. To learn more search the hashtag #valueearlyeducators.
Tweets
United Way Mass Bay @UnitedWayMABay
Today is #earlyed Advocacy Day! We’re proud to support efforts of @EarlyEd4All @EllisMemorial & @NurturyBoston to ensure access & quality.
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Early Education for All @EarlyEd4All
“The story is about you every day…changing the lives of young children” – @MADCAorg on the value of#earlyeducators #investinus
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MA Fair Share @MAFairShare
“If we are serious about pay equity” we should pay those who lay a child’s foundation as much as those who lay a building’s foundation – Sonia Chang-Diaz quote
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MA Fair Share @MAFairShare
@RepAlicePeisch “we need a high quality workforce … But you need to be compensated accordingly”
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Quotes
“There are four main issues at the State House: a) economic development, b) education, c) public safety, and d) health. Early education is e) all of the above.”
– Tom Weber, commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care
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“You are your best advocate. Without you, nothing moves.” – Marie St. Fleur, president and CEO of the Bessie Tartt Wilson Initiative for Children
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“What I would like to encourage all of you to do… is to indicate that this year the priority is on quality and that means on the rates for the workforce as opposed to — and this is a difficult choice — increasing access,” Representative Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) said. “Unfortunately, we’re not in position where we have unlimited funds and we can do both. That would be ideal.”
Peisch adds, “As long as we prioritize access over quality, we are doing two things: we are not able to provide the resources that we actually need to get quality and we’re seeing today that we actually cannot increase access because we can’t find the people to fill those positions.”
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“The children you work with have one chance, and one chance only.” – Representative John Scibak (D-South Hadley) Chair, Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development
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Senator Linda Dorcena Forry (D-Dorchester) addressed the crowd and noted that early education plays an important role for children, but also for adults and the state’s economy because it “allows parents to be able to work and do what they can to lift themselves out of poverty.”
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“When college presidents share their concerns with me, they talk about the skills gap by 3rd grade.” – Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury) Chair, Joint Committee on Higher Education
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“I don’t think there’s anybody in this room that does not believe that there needs to be a major investment in our workforce. Let’s face it, our early education workforce is in crisis and there’s no question about it,” Leo Delaney, CEO of Ellis and president of the Board of the Massachusetts Association of Early Education & Care (MADCA), said. “We cannot let this continue and the only way to fix this is to invest in our workforce and invest big.”
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“We’re having people leave the workforce to go work at McDonald’s because they can make more money there even though they have bachelor’s degrees.” – Anat Weisenfreund, director of the Parent-Child Development Center at Community Action of the Franklin, Hampshire, and North Quabbin Regions
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“It’s not about your coalition, or even your agency. It’s about you!” – Bill Eddy, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of Early Education & Care
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