Renaye Baker, MEA UniServ Director Lisa Robbins, MEA Member
You Can’t Spell “Community” Without “Unity”
Inspiring Unionism Through Community Involvement
NEA Strategic Goal and NEA Organizational Priority in This Session:
• NEA Strategic Goal
Strong Affiliates for Educator Voice and Empowerment
• NEA Organizational Priority
Early Career Educators
NEA Leadership Competency in This Session
• NEA Leadership Competency progression level(s).
– Example: Level inclusive of ALL Levels: Mobilizing & Power Building
• NEA Leadership Competency themes within the competency in this presentation.
– Organizing + Leadership
Strength With Unity!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSQxYWExG50
Strength Together
What the best and wisest parent wants for his own child,
that must the community want
for all its children.
John Dewey, Philosopher and Educator
What is it That Parents Want for Their Children?
Well-fed, clothed, safe and healthy
Well-educated
Good people To feel, think, and act with respect for themselves and
others
Good citizens
Productive members of society
STRONG CHARACTER
Strong Character Means:
Character is a set of qualities, or values, that shape our thoughts, actions, reactions and feelings. Show compassion for others
Honest and fair
Displays self-discipline in setting and meeting goals
Makes good judgments
Strong Character Means:
Shows respect to others
Shows courage in standing up for beliefs
Has a strong sense of responsibility
Good citizens who are concerned for their community, and
Maintains self-respect
How is It Developed in Children:
With the help of parents, schools and the community, we will develop good morale, values in our children. But…..
We all must work together,
We all must get along and agree in general what values are important to our community
We all must be good role models
IT TAKES A VILLAGE!
If There is a Weak Link?
If any one of the three links are weak, the other two have to pick up the slack for the children
If all three of the links are weak, the child will suffer and have difficulties to rise up to the challenges of society
Former Secretary of Education: • Margaret Spelling has said,
“A quality education provides citizens with the tools to participate fully in their society.”
That may mean:
We have to educate parents in parenting
We have to educate people of what makes a good
school
We have to educate a community of what makes a
good society.
PUBLIC SCHOOL UNIONS
Therefore….. Must work together with the parents and the community Must agree as to which values are most important for children to learn/attain Must help the parents and community see what we do will help them in raising their children which will make for a strong society.
In the End:
We must have relationships that enhance parents’ and the community’s desire to be involved,
We must influence how they participate in their children’s educational development, and
We must gain the respect of our students, parents and the community in order to be seen as important in the
equation of a strong community and democracy.
How Can We Gain Their Respect as a Union:
The public needs to trust us that we have their children’s best interest at heart
The public needs to know we care about their children
The public needs to respect us for what we do and the role we play in a successful society
The public needs to see us as the solution, not the problem in helping them to raise their children
Our Goal Then Becomes:
We must broaden our vision of unionism and tie it directly to the protection of our
community not just the protection of our membership.
Goals of the Union: While still important to bargain strong contracts, protect public school employee rights, and lobby for the interest of public school employees, we
must make it our goal to become vital to the community and what we provide to the
community!
They Must See Us as Valuable!
The Union Must….
We must create community alliances! We must build strong ties and coalitions
with parents, community, and civic organizations!
On educational issues
And on broader issues of community concerns
BUILDING THE ALLIANCE
Where to Begin….
Knowing Your Community
Activity Time!
List 10 people or organizations that are key educational stakeholders
List 10 people or organizations that are key community stakeholders
Power Study Knowing Who Your
Community Support Is…..
Member Cards—Surveys Businesses
Those they personally patronize Those they few as most influential Member Families Own
Area Labor Unions and Labor Councils PTA/PTOs in the District What Churches Do Your Members Belong What Organizations Do Your Members Belong
Outreach Before the Crisis
Building Trust
Building Relationships
Educating about the Issues of Public Education
Identification and Pride of Local
Brainstorming Ideas • Parade Participation
• Scholarships
• Volunteerism
• Community Service
• Invite Community to Events and Activities
• Positive Education Message Signs, Bumper Stickers, etc.
• Business Patronage Day/Discount Cards
• Charity Event Participation
Starting the Relationships: o Determine the KEY stakeholders in the
community.
o Ask them to meet to discuss opinions about what makes a quality school for their community.
o Ask them what they need from the quality school
o Get them to: o IDENTIFY WHAT AN IDEAL SCHOOL WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR
THEIR CHILDREN.
BUILDING THE RELATIONSHIP:
Develop a plan with the group on how to create the IDEAL SCHOOL for the community
Strive to identify what needs to take place to meet that ideal goal
Determine a tentative timeline
What can you do in the short-term
What can you plan for the long-term
Identify who will need to make it happen
Identify how they will make it happen
Once the Relationship is Developed:
Then as a union when you are in crisis….
You can solicit help from the community by:
Identifying how your crisis will affect their plan to maintain or create the ideal school
Having the advance relationship where they will want to support your cause is vital prior to the crisis.
Outreach During a Crisis
Educate on the Issues
Educate on the Common Interest of the Concerns
Gain Support for Your Cause
Get Participation from the Community
The Community Must See That the Union’s Problem as Their Problem, too!
How it affects directly and indirectly their children and the community as a whole
BRAINSTORM IDEAS • Mortgage Night
• Writing Letters to Local Businesses from Members
• Donations for supplies for crisis events
• Signs of Support Displayed
• Get Public to Pack Board Meetings and Speak in Support
• Get Social Media News Feeds to Key Public Members
Activity Time, Again!
LET’S WALK AWAY WITH A PLAN!
Developing a Plan
Five Steps of Organizing 1. Identify Your Goal
2. Gather Information
3. Develop a Plan (focused around the goal)
4. Implement the Plan (keeping focus on the goal)
5. Assess and Evaluate
AFTER….THANK YOU CELEBRATION!
What Plans Might Include: Step 1 Plan for initial community alliance
building event
Step 2 Identify the Key Community
Stakeholders—who to invite
Step 3 Develop the Plan
Step 4 Implement the Plan
Step 5 Evaluate the Results before moving to
the next step
RESOURCES
Check with your State Affiliates to find out what resources or NEA resources are available to help
fund these efforts.
Our Plans…..
Break into Groups of Two to Four:
• Using the Five Steps of Organizing
DEVELOP A PLAN FOR YOUR LOCAL TO BUILD AN COMMUNITY ALLIANCE!
Time to Share:
DISCUSSION
Session Outcomes:
• The content from this session can be used in the following ways in your current position/role:
– Example 1 [provide example]
– Example 2 [provide example]
– Example 3 [provide example ]
Please……
• Please complete the evaluation for this breakout session!
• Please visit the Leadership Development Resources website at www.nea.org/leadershipdevelopment