Cloaking Inequity

I was recently honored to discuss Teach For America, Vouchers, Charters at a Leading Educators Activating a Difference (LEAD) caucus convening in Nevada. I enjoyed joining the educators in Las Vegas to engage in powerful discussions led by teacher leaders, and, most importantly, work collaboratively to apply this knowledge to inform their work plans to improve learning conditions and student performance.

Who is the LEAD Caucus? From their Facebook page:

We are social justice educators and unionists committed to creating schools and workplaces that advance economic justice, racial justice, and democracy. We call for equitable public education as a human right. We assert that the workplace rights of educators are an essential element of public education and that the well-being of communities in which our children live is as much a part of our mission as the work we do in our schools. We commit ourselves to the struggle for equitable and adequate funding for public schools. Without this our words cannot become reality.

To that end, we join under these core principles:

Public schools should be sites of creativity, imagination, and critical questioning in which students, educators, and parents work together to create meaningful learning experiences.

Every student deserves an education grounded in trust, respect for diversity of all types, and opportunities for joyful engagement in the world.

Workplace justice and education justice are equally important and connected. both vitally important and inexorably linked. 

Every educator deserves autonomy, respect, trust, economic security, and the time and resources to develop and enact a rich and varied curriculum.

Educators also deserve adequate salary, job security, and retirement pensions. 

Our work requires and flourishes within democratic workspaces in which all workers are economically secure, their knowledge and expertise is respected, and all voices are heard.

Our work as union members includes advocating for the above at the bargaining table, in our schools, and in our communities.

We strive for member-driven unions at the local and national levels.

Our work as unionists extends beyond the classroom to include advocacy for economic and racial justice within our communities.