TEF Lessons for Members and Citizens Workshop 8 Moving from Information to Action

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TEF Lessons forMembers and CitizensWorkshop
8Moving from Information to Action
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Objective

• Participants will
• Explore state affiliate TEF activities, examine a
  template for starting a campaign, and develop a
  state and/or local action plan.

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As a group we agree that we will

• Respect and value differences of opinions and
  varying levels of knowledge
• Be attentive

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Question What do the following have in common?

• The weekend
• The 8-hour work day
• The 40-hour work week
• The minimum wage
• Laws prohibiting child labor

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Answer

• All are the direct result of people organizing
  (often through a union) to establish rules and
  policies that address economic inequality and
  maintain fairness.
• Are they things society sometimes takes for
  granted?

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• Power concedes nothing without demand.
• Agree or Disagree?

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Why Is this Our Business?

• Its about our students.
• Its about our community.
• We represent roughly 1/3 of the state budget.
  We have clout.
• Educators represent a significant and sizable
  voting block.
• We have power (if we choose to use it). With
  the Associations representative councils, we
  are one of the best organized groups in the
  United States.

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Why Is this Our Business?

• Teachers consistently poll as one of the most
  if not the most trusted voices within a
  community.
• You are the best messenger.
• We need to educate our colleagues, our
  leaders, and the general public.
• Who is better equipped to do this than you?

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Where are we in terms of educating and
organizing around these issues?
Change
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Whats Happening Around the Country?

• The AEA is on the offense to prevent
  funding erosion!
• The CEA has embarked on community
  outreach, coalition building, and a media
  campaign to educate the public
  www.believeinabettercolorado.org

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Whats Happening Around the Country?

• Arizona Conducting workshops
• to educate members around the
• state
• Omaha (NE) Education Association Building
  Brighter Futures!
• http//www.buildingbrightfutures.net/

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Whats Happening Around the Country?

• Mississippi the MAE has organized a growing
  PARENTS Campaign, with over 47,000 members.

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Whats Happening Around the Country?

• Utah the UEA has a 2-year ongoing campaign,
  No Excuses!
• Invest in Public Education. Some of UEAs
  talking points
• Investing in neighborhood schools grows the
  economy more than an investment in any other
  industry.
• Investing in neighborhood schools means investing
  in every community in Utah.
• Public education provides a wealth of job
  opportunities in your community jobs that
  provide benefits to employees and arent
  outsourced.
• Real estate values are higher in areas near great
  public schools.
• Public schools take no profit, so your investment
  goes back into the local economy not to
  corporate offices in another state.

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• THINKJOURNAL

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• 1. Thinking about the changes that are needed in
  your state and local to address these issues,
  what changes can you envision that would make the
  most difference in your students lives? What
  would those changes look like?

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• 2. What would you have to let go of to bring
  this vision into reality? What would you do to
  begin?

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• 3. Who are the core partners and helpers that
  would help you bring it into reality and that
  could support you in these efforts?

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• 4. If you committed to taking on the project of
  bringing your intentions into reality, what
  practical steps could you take in the next three
  to seven days?

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The Call to Action

• Beginning a
• PLAN of Action!

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• Knowledge without action leads to despair.
  Anonymous
• Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
  committed citizens can change the world. Indeed,
  it's the only thing that ever has.
• Margaret Mead

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• Your Steps and Moving Forward Together
• A Template

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REFLECTION

• What do you think is possible?
• What do you believe your next steps are as an
  individual?
• What do you think the groups next steps are?

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• ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• www.nea.org
• (Search Taxes, Economic development, and
  school Funding or TEF)
• www.faireconomy.org
• www.rethinkingschools.org
• www.teachingforchange.org

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Our lives begin to end the day we become silent
about things that matter. Martin Luther King,
Jr.
Connect the Dots Do it for Them!