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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1518 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 688
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Lindsay N. Sabadosa , (BY REQUEST)
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act relative to public school workplace security.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Benjamin Tobin1/15/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1518 FILED ON: 1/15/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 688
By Representative Sabadosa of Northampton (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill,
House, No. 688) of Benjamin Tobin relative to legal protections for certain educators and school
staff. Education.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act relative to public school workplace security.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 Section 1: Purpose
2 The purpose of this bill is to provide legal protections for educators and staff against
3unjust, antagonistic, and harmful treatment by school administrators and to establish
4accountability measures for administrative conduct within Massachusetts public schools to
5ensure that staff. Additionally, this act will ensure that conflicts of interest by school
6administrators are investigated by the attorney general's office rather than the Department of
7Elementary and Secondary Education.
8 Section 2: Definitions
9 1. "Educator" refers to any teacher, instructor, or staff member employed in a public
10school. 2 of 3
11 2. "Administrator" refers to any individual serving in a managerial capacity within a
12school or school district.
13 3. "Vindictive actions" are actions that are retaliatory in nature, aimed at punishing an
14educator for lawful and ethical conduct. These actions would also fall under the category of
15bullying, harassment, and retaliation and could include intentionally negative performance
16reviews to defame the educator, creating a toxic work environment, placing staff in situations
17that are unethical, harmful, or unsafe, asking staff to perform duties outside of their licensure (ex.
18moderate disabilities working with severe disabilities and behavior), not providing appropriate
19training before asking educators to engage in a situation.
20 Section 3: Provisions
21 1. Protection Against Retaliation: a. No educator shall be subject to disciplinary action,
22harassment, or any form of retaliation for reporting misconduct or advocating for educational
23policies that promote the well-being of students. b. Educators shall have the right to appeal any
24disciplinary actions taken against them that they believe are the result of vindictive actions by
25administrators.
26 2. Establishment of a Review Board: a. A Review Board shall be established within each
27school district to investigate complaints made by educators against administrators. This board
28shall be anonymous b. The Review Board shall consist of teachers, administrators, and
29community representatives to create a balanced perspective on administrative conduct.
30 3. Accountability Measures: a. Administrators found to engage in retaliatory actions
31against educators shall face disciplinary measures, which may include suspension or termination
32of employment and removal of licensure b. An annual report shall be submitted to the state 3 of 3
33legislature detailing complaints filed, outcomes of investigations, and actions taken against
34administrators.
35 4. Attorney General's Office: Complaints against school administrators shall be
36investigated by the attorney general's office rather than the Department of Education given the
37Department's clear conflict of interest in investigating their own administrators and their vested
38interest in ensuring the continuity of administrators. The attorney general shall be given broad
39powers to investigate and penalize administrators found to have conflicts of interest and or who
40have engaged in aggressive or unjustly harmful actions against educators.
41 Section 4: Implementation
42 This act shall take effect immediately upon passage, and school districts will implement
43necessary training and awareness programs for both educators and administrators regarding the
44provisions of this law.
45 Section 5: Severability
46 If any provision of this act is found to be invalid, the remaining provisions shall remain in
47effect.