A Strong Collective Voice
New Study: Charter schools that unionize hold real benefit for students
By Brian Washington
“It just makes sense.” That’s what Lynn Kameny said when Education Votes told her about a new study that concludes unionization in charter schools “positively impacts student achievement.”
Kameny, an English teacher at the Alameda Community
Learning Center, a California charter school covering grades 6 through 12, suggests it’s because educators who teach at charter schools with a union have a strong collective voice.
“As a member of a charter school with a union, because my union protects my right to have a voice in the classroom, I feel I can advocate for my students without fear of job reprisal,” said Kameny. “That’s a pretty big factor.”
The study looked at several charter schools in California. The authors of the study, entitled “Teachers’ Unions and School Performance Evidence from California Charter Schools,” concluded the following:
The main results of our analyses are thus that unionization
in charter schools positively affects student achievement in math, but has a smaller and statistically insignificant impact on English achievement.
The study also found that “unionization benefits the learning of students with low levels of achievement the most.”
We asked Kameny for an example of how educator unionization impacts students. She described how math teachers at her charter school, Alameda Community Learning Center, located between San Francisco and Oakland, used their collective voice to ensure the school did what was best for student learning.
“They have been able to advocate for a math curriculum that they feel will be a good support for students moving forward,” said Kameny. “And they were able to do that without having to worry about how this might compromise their ability to teach here.”
Charter schools receive public funding but are operated independently, in many cases, by for-profit companies.
Educators nationwide, including the 3 million members who make up the National Education Association, believe that charter schools should be held to the same standards and accountability measures as traditional public schools and authorized by local school boards to ensure they remain responsive to the communities they serve.
On a side note, in September, the U.S. Department of Education announced $253 million in charter school grants to be shared among Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Texas, and Wisconsin.
TAKE ACTION
Visit nea.org/unionizedcharters.
Beyond Race
Educators’ activism makes the promise of ethnic studies policy a reality
By Kate Snyder
One of the great opportunities in education is to find a way to challenge students to critically think about their own experiences and about the experiences of others. One of the main tenets of ethnic studies curriculum is to have students understand different systems of oppression, not just race.
“Ethnic studies and social justice are a critical lens through which we can get a new perspective on history, so we are not doomed to repeat it,” says Ivan Viray Santos, who, with his colleagues from the New Haven Unified School District in California, was instrumental in developing high school curriculum for Ethnic Studies departments, including an ethnic studies/social justice pathway with some classes available as early as the seventh grade.
In July, the State Board of Education approved inclusion of the role of Filipinos during WWII in the revised history curriculum framework for state schools, following passage of AB 199 in 2011.
Santos and his colleagues have been part of a cohort working to develop this specific curriculum that they will present during the statewide conference of the Filipino American Educators Association of California, September 28 to 30, in San Diego.
“With passage of recent policy,” says Santos, “it’s an honor to be part of this historic moment as our units and lessons will be among the first to be shared with school districts as examples of how this history can be worked into the U.S. history courses.”
Santos is a social studies teacher at James Logan High School. Several of his colleagues and students share their thoughts about ethnic studies in “Know Your Roots,” a video produced by one of his former students, Karl Mena. Here’s what they said:
Mexican American Student:
Ethnic studies taught me how to put theory into practice on the days when the world reminds me why Ethnic studies is so necessary, I know how to navigate through all the rage or hurt in order to heal and build because of what I learned from ethnic studies.
Filipino Student:
Ethnic studies means learning about the world—the his/her story of our people and how it has shaped my experiences and identity. It has given me hope and taught me that my narrative matters. I also learned that it takes action in our communities to transform it.
African American student:
Ethnic studies has taught me selflessness, willingness to give back to my ancestors, my people. It has always grounded me in my actions, it has led me to organize more people and teach more people the root causes of the world. Ethnic studies has led me to my community, it has made me learn that my identity is bound to the people/collective I serve.
See the video at nea.org/knowyourroots.
“Ethnic studies is a means of critical analysis on the basis of race, gender, sexuality, and class,” says Santos, a member of the New Haven Teachers Association. “It allows students to see how all these identities shape our lives and teaches students to identify problems, analyze roots causes, and take a critical look at historical and current issues as a means to create solutions for their communities and put them into action.”
Kate Snyder serves as executive director of the Portland Education Foundation. Meet Sequanna Taylor
A Journey from Educator to Educator Activist
By NEA Edjustice Team
The NEA EdJustice team had the chance to interview Sequanna Taylor, a parent
engagement specialist at the Golda Meir School in Milwaukee and a 2016 Minority and Women’s Leadership Conference participant. Taylor wears many leadership hats, from president of the Milwaukee Educational Assistants’ Association Council (MEAA) to District 2 representative on the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors.
We had the chance to talk with her as she prepared for her first year as an NEA Executive Board member, planned her strategy to negotiate national certification for her education support professionals and leadership development for her team, and got ready for a re-election campaign for the Board of Supervisors.
We got her perspective on her transition from educator to educator activist and how the MWLC helped her. Below are the highlights of our conversation:
NEA: Can you tell us a little bit about what lead you on your path of leadership and activism?
Taylor: My journey from educator to activist started with Act 10 in Wisconsin, Gov. Scott Walker’s attack on unions.
I was a para-professional at Gwen T. Jackson Elementary School in
Milwaukee, and I remember standing in the hall and hearing about Act 10, but I didn’t know what it meant for me and I didn’t know what was happening, so I started by calling the union to get more information.
I learned more and I got involved. I went to the meetings, and I talked to my colleagues about what I knew. I remember the day that we all went to Madison [Wisconsin’s capital] to rally against Act 10. The Milwaukee Public School System shut down that day, so my friend and I drove up. As soon as my feet touched the Capitol and I saw thousands of people gathered, I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.
NEA: What made you decide to continue on this path?
Taylor: I often tell people I found my voice during the Act 10 fight. I didn’t grow up in a political house. But once my eyes got opened, I learned and it sparked something inside me. I knew I wanted to be in the heart of it. I wanted to know, to lead and to make sure I could provide people with a voice.
As I got more involved with the union, more opportunities opened up. People started seeing me more as a resource and an advocate. I got invited to more trainings, and I took every opportunity to learn.
In 2014, the opportunity came open and I applied and became president of my union, the Milwaukee Educational Assistants’ Association Council.
NEA: You didn’t stop there. You ran for and were elected last year to the Milwaukee County Board Supervisors from District 2. What continues to motivate you?
Taylor: I’ll be honest. I didn’t think I was going to run, but then I thought about how important it is to have a voice who cared about the community on the board. I wondered who was going to be the voice for the elderly and students and the people who need an advocate. I decided I could be that voice, because I have the passion and I wanted to be the voice to push the issues that push the envelope that will do right by our black and brown people.
I couldn’t stand by and wonder who would represent my mom and my sisters. It became personal.
NEA: You mentioned having the opportunity to take part in trainings as a part of what helped you grow as a leader. What was your most important takeaway from the Minority and Women’s Leadership Conference?
Taylor: Beyond the skills like strategic planning, research, and public speaking, it was the people I met and the relationships. The network there is so amazing, and there were so many ideas to take in and amazing people you meet.
I would also say the conference helped me in confronting and managing my bias and recognizing what we need to change.
I used everything from the conference. I shared all the materials with the other leaders in Wisconsin. At my local level, they are so supportive of what I do and they continue to inspire me in every step along this journey.
Learn More!
The 2017–2018 Minority Leadership and Women’s Leadership Training Conferences prepare early career educators and emerging leaders who are NEA members to advocate for their students, their profession, and their Association. The hands-on training teaches participants leadership skills, the logistics of running for elected office, and how to advocate for student-centered policies and social justice issues.For more, visit nea.org/MLTWLT.
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