BOSTON – The American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts, which represents teachers, paraprofessionals, librarians, nurses, and support staff in public schools, colleges, and libraries across the Commonwealth, today announced its endorsement of Kate Lipper-Garabedian, Democratic nominee for State Senator for the Fifth Middlesex District.
“Kate has a deep understanding of the issues impacting public schools and the students they serve, not only as a State Representative, but as a former educator and after serving as legal counsel to the Executive Office of Education and we are proud to endorse her candidacy for State Senate,” said AFT Massachusetts President Jessica Tang. “We look forward to working with her directly in our efforts to make public education more equitable and ensure all students of the Commonwealth have access to the quality public education they deserve.”
“As a former public school teacher, a public school parent, and an education attorney, I’m proud to be endorsed by AFT Massachusetts,” said Lipper-Garabedian. “As the next State Senator for the Fifth Middlesex District, I will continue to prioritize our public schools in my legislative work, pressing for the resources and conditions necessary to ensure our educators are supported and our students can thrive.”
Lipper-Garabedian was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2020, where she currently serves as Chair of the House Committee on Ethics. She successfully championed legislation in the House on financial literacy for K-12 students and has been a vocal advocate for increased early education and childcare funding and universal K-12 school meals.
Communities within the Fifth Middlesex District are a part of the Shore Educational Collaborative, whose educators and paraprofessionals are members of the LEA Professional Association, an AFT Massachusetts local. The Shore Collaborative not only provides public special education to students from these communities, it is also the largest provider of adult services out of the state’s two dozen collaboratives.
The AFT Massachusetts represents employees at the Stoneham Public Library and the Wakefield Lucius Beebe Memorial Library, both of which are units within the Massachusetts Library Staff Association (MLSA).
The Executive Board of the AFT Massachusetts, which voted on the endorsement, is made up of elected representatives of the 26,000 AFT Massachusetts members statewide.
State primary elections were held last month with the general election scheduled for Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
About the AFT Massachusetts
The AFT Massachusetts, a strong voice for collaborative education reform that is good for students and fair to educators, represents over 26,000 educators and staff working in public schools, universities, libraries, and health offices across the state. The union represents members in a variety of roles including teachers, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, librarians, custodians, cafeteria workers, faculty, maintenance staff, and more. In addition to public school districts across the state, AFT Massachusetts members work in vocational schools, collaboratives, public libraries, and both public and private institutions of higher education.
