The New Political Organizing
NEA's newest digital resources makes it easy to get involved in election 2020—from a safe distance.
We know that if we’re going to see change in the White House this year, we need a movement of pro-public education activists to take action. That means we need members to reach out to their networks, colleagues, and communities and ask them to get involved.
With NEA’s new digital resources, it’s easier than ever to make a difference.
First, there is NEA’s new online action hub on the OutreachCircle app. Become a virtual organizer in an in- stant by downloading the app and registering for a free account. This platform allows you to quickly reach out to your contacts from home on your own schedule, using email, social media, or personal texts or calls. (Find out how to get started on the opposite page.)
NEA also offers a series of online trainings to help members polish up their digital organizing skills. Learn how to participate in phone banks or how to send hundreds of texts in minutes and open up real conversations.
All trainings are free and accessible anytime at EdVotes.org/moving-organizing-and-advocacy-online.
The election in November will decide the future of public schools in this country. Staying safe during the pandemic has forced us to stick close to home—but it must not stop our work as fierce advocates for students and public schools.
Become a virtual organizer
You can organize while social distancing. Download the OutreachCircle app from the App Store or Google Play, or go to OutreachCircle.com/YXH825. You’ll find NEA’s dashboard with a variety of actions you can take from the comfort and safety of your home. Actions are as simple as emailing and texting friends or fellow NEA members; sharing content on social media; or signing a petition.
Become an Early Vote Educator.
Voting by mail will be an essential way for millions of Americans to safely cast a ballot this fall as we weather the COVID-19 crisis. You can put your teaching expertise to work to make sure your family, friends, and neighbors know about voting by mail. Members who sign up for NEA’s Early Vote Educator program will be trained with state-specific voting information, then challenged to reach out to 15 fellow members to discuss voting by mail. Get started at OutreachCircle.com.
Sign up for NEA’s SMS program.
Texting is something most of us do every day— and it’s one of the ways NEA is staying in touch with members throughout the election. Join NEA’s SMS program to receive updates, actions, and information about getting involved in the run up to Election Day. To get started, just text JOIN to 48744. You’ll get 2020 election updates and the chance to take action right from your cell phone.
Be Like Melanie: Share your story to influence decision-makers
Melanie Buchanan is a math teacher at Harpeth Middle School in Cheatham County, Tennessee. She has been politically active through her association for more than a decade.
NEA TODAY: How have you used your personal story to advocate for public schools?
Melanie Buchanan: In February, I used my story to explain what our schools don’t need: high-stakes, standardized test- ing. I told my legislator about a student whose father passed away a day or two before we started standardized testing. We place so much importance on those standardized tests, but she came into my classroom with this heavy emotional bag- gage and needed a different kind of support from me.
Sitting down to take this test two days after losing her dad would ensure she couldn’t do her best. And as a teacher, I would be evaluated according to her test score. That legislator then understood how there are so many things that tests can’t see.
What is your advice to other educators who want to connect with education decision-makers using their personal stories?
MB: It’s really important when educators talk to legislators at the local, state, or national level that they bring their classroom experience into that discussion. When you relay your personal story and experiences, they tend to listen more. If you throw a bunch of numbers and statistics at them, you run the risk of losing the human connection.
Everyone can think back to their own education and remember a teacher who inspired them. We draw on those moments to connect with legislators and ask for help getting what we need for our classrooms.
What have you told your legislators about your experience of teaching during the coronavirus pandemic?
MB: After the building was closed, I didn’t hear from six of my students for nine straight weeks. I couldn’t get the communication lines open. Parents weren’t returning calls. I’m trying to get them access and materials, but it’s been a struggle.
We’ve got to keep as much funding as we can in schools. Instead of cuts, we need more resources. We’ve got to take into account the mental toll—not just the academic one— that the pandemic has taken on our students.
When talking with elected leaders, we need to tell the stories that show how we connect with students on a personal level. We need the resources to get our schools reopened safely and do the best work we can do for these students.
How to craft your story (and inspire others to act)
Melanie Buchanan offers these tips for sharing who you are and what you value most—which is key to connecting with others for a cause:
- Sit down and consider those “headline moments” in your life. What compelled you to get involved in advocacy on behalf of public schools? What are your top concerns for the students you see every day? What are some of the things you’ve learned from students?
- Write the first draft without self-editing. Let the story form naturally.
- Now edit. Work the story down to something you can convey in just a few minutes. Read it out loud until it sounds “like you.”
- Be prepared to tweak your story based on your audi- ence. The parts of your story you share will depend on who you are talking to and what you need them to do. Offer a picture of the better future you envision.
- End by making an ask. If you’re talking to decision-makers, tell them which policies you support. If you’re organizing for Election 2020, ask listeners to vote for your candidate and invite them to get involved in the campaign.
LEARN MORE: Watch NEA’s training, “How To Tell Your Personal Story,” at EdVotes.org.
