Action continues online

By Tiffany Hasker

Alice Mercer, a computer lab teacher at Oak Ridge Elementary in Sacramento, certainly earns the “Social Media Rock Star” award for her dedication to keeping the Twitter hashtag #StateofEmergency presence alive during the week of action. “MizMercer” kept us all updated with her active Twitter feed, regular blog posts, a Flickr photoset, live streaming video and a dedicated YouTube playlist.

One memorable post from Alice was about George Sheridan, a first-grade teacher in the Black Oak Mine School District and one of the “Capitol Insiders” who were arrested during the nonviolent protest outside a Republican senator’s office in Sacramento. Alice had done a video interview with Sheridan earlier in the week, asking him why he had decided to join the Capitol protests. Sheridan explained that budget cuts have caused safety issues at his school in the foothills, where he sometimes finds mice and even snakes in his first-grade classroom because the custodian is only able to clean each room every three days. Later in the week, Alice joined the vigil outside the County Jail and talked to Sheridan during a livestream upon his release. 

You can watch the videos of Sheridan and read Alice’s take on the protests at the State Capitol at mizmercer.edublogs.org.

The growing “netroots” of education activists did an amazing job getting the word out about the State of Emergency our schools are facing. And just think, for many it was as easy as a status update on Facebook! Who knows which of your friends you might influence with yours?

Here’s a sample of Twitter posts that chronicled the week of action:

 @Mads2007 May 12, 10:32am 
WE ARE ONE, fighting for our schools, our kids, our rights, OUR FUTURE!!!!!!!!!! #StateofEmergency

 @martinejoelle May 13, 5:24pm 
Just drove by #stateofemergency CA teachers protest at San Francisco City Hall. Go teachers!

@alicemercer May 16, 1:30pm 
Reminder to those thinking new revenue means we don’t need extensions, it’s $6B and the current shortfall is $15B #stateofemergency

Join CTA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/californiateachersassociation
Twitter @CATeachersAssoc
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Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/californiateachers