Cover Story: More Ways to Win
Educators are reimagining change. By teaming up with parents and community members, they are winning on issues that benefit students, educators, and the community as a whole.
Millennials: A Pro-Union Generation
Young people are flocking tounions in huge numbers. They are passionate about social change and ready to get to work.
Meet Amy. She Wants You to Join Her Union
Arizona teacher Amy Bowser helped grow her local from 15 to over 165 members in one year. Her secret? Make it personal.
Teachers Unlock the Lessons of the U.S. Census
Find out how educators are building engaging lesson plans around the 2020 census.
Moving Beyond ‘Just Say No’
Evidence shows that life skills training is one of the most effective tools for preventing drug use. These educators are seeing results.
The Quest for Reparations
The topic of reparations has become a hot issue in the 2020 Democratic presidential race. But it may not mean what you think it does. Learn more here.
Education Support Professionals
A School Secretary Touches the Lives of Three Generations of Students
NEA is celebrating ESPs 40th anniversary with the union. To highlight their invaluable contributions, we profile the inspirational four-decade career of Nila Brown.
Departments
First and Foremost
Parents aren’t talking with kids about race. School districts are suing e-cigarette maker Juul. PISA results show U.S. students making small gains. Students with short lunch breaks often don’t finish meals. And, in high-poverty schools, educators spend more of their own money on supplies.
Issues and Impact
Voter Suppression: A Blockade on the Road to Education Justice
Voter suppression is on the rise following a 2013 U.S. Supreme Court ruling—and that means trouble for public education
Be Like Rose: Run for Office
Meet Rose Walker, an inspirational ESP who ran for school committee—and won!
People and Places
Educators vs. Amazon
Oregon educator Enrique Farrera helped organize Amazon employees to demand better working conditions
Learning to be Kind
Florida educator Dorothy Schroader shares how she changed from a “mean” teacher into an advocate for her students.
Teaching and Learning
Helping Students Solve Real-World Challenges
Through project-based learning, students build critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Eco-Friendly Lessons for Earth Day and Every Day
Teaching sustainability is now more important than ever.
A Note from the Editor and Chief
Union power is growing thanks to strong community partnerships and an influx of young people.
Lily's Blackboard
Educators around the country will never stop fighting for healthier, safer, and more just schools for their students.
Health and Lifestyle
Duty-free lunches are important to educators’ physical and mental well- being.
Talk Back
Teen Suicide Crisis
In our school district, there have been several suicides of middle schoolers in the past few months, directly related to bullying. (“Are You Thinking About Suicide?”) [I’m] getting fed up and pushing for SEL [social and emotional learning] as a mandated special area class. It’s my passion project, and I think it is needed. Deeply. Asking this question is also incredibly important. Students want to be heard.
- N. MARIE
As a high school teacher and a sponsor of our school GSA, I was very disappointed by lack of mention of LGBTQ students in the cover story about suicide. Your graphic indicated that population has many times the risk of suicide and yet they were not mentioned in the body of the article or in the “What do you do” sidebar. Studies have shown that this risk drops considerably when family and community are supportive of young people’s identities, so a commonsense improvement would be to educate parents and staff on how to support LGBTQ young people.
- S. GARB
The High Cost of Teaching Education is expensive quality education even more so. (“How Higher Salaries Could Save the Teaching Profession”) Until the profession is respected and properly supported in this country, our educational system and our children will suffer, especially disadvantaged children. It is a shame that it’s even legal for public monies to be awarded to private and charter institutions, where they have the ability to pick and choose their cli- entele. Basically, it’s publicly supported elitism, which is targeted at our nation’s youth and future.
- M. SIMONET
