We're in this together

There's always one certainty on election night: There will be happiness and there will be heartache. Unfortunately, some of the heartache this year belongs to us, and the students we teach.

This is truly a critical time for children and public education, and I am deeply disappointed that John Kerry was not elected president. I continue to believe that Senator Kerry was the only candidate who was committed to providing the resources our students need to give them the schools they deserve. But, as teachers, we cannot and will not walk away.

The day after the election, a colleague in Missouri sent these comforting and wise words from Martin Luther King Jr.: "Cowardice asks the question: Is it safe? Expediency asks the question: Is it politic? Vanity asks the question: Is it popular? But conscience asks the question: Is it right? And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, politic nor popular — but one must take it because it's right."

CTA will always do what's right for our public schools and remains committed to providing a quality public education to all students.

I want to thank each and every one of you for all your work in this year's election, because there were many, many victories. Education may not have been the top concern of voters nationwide, but it remains a top priority for California voters, and that played out repeatedly in school board and state legislative races.

CTA recommended 103 candidates in legislative and congressional races. These are candidates who support public education and teachers, and who were interviewed and recommended by local educators in their districts. Our candidates won all but one of the state Senate races, and 32 of the 35 congressional races. In the Assembly, 82 percent of our candidates were elected.

California voters approved 47 local school bond measures, which will bring more than $2.1 billion in local funding for school construction and repairs. In addition, local chapters claimed numerous victories in local school board races across the state. These impressive wins will not only help us improve our public schools, but also show that we can make a difference when we let our voices be heard.

Recent efforts by the teachers in Roseville are a perfect example of what can be accomplished when you organize and let your voices be heard. Tired of being forced to use the Open Court reading program for all students and tired of being told how and what to teach every hour of the day, members of the Roseville Teachers Association fought back. They led a successful organizing campaign for additional curriculum options and even got the district to approve a statement reaffirming the teachers' right to use professional judgment about curriculum decisions that benefit students.

While part of me is sad that members had to take this step just to be seen as the college-educated professionals we are, I've never been prouder. This is the type of educational change CTA stands for.

For the past year, I've talked about the importance of building strong local chapters because strong local chapters build a strong CTA.

This summer we started conversations with chapter presidents. We continued those conversations at local Service Center Council meetings and with staff in each of our regional offices. At the same time, CTA's Educational Change Workgroup has been developing a plan to deal with all of the education reform proposals that are being thrown at us by "non-educators," and more importantly to help us build our own agenda for educational change.

The process is just beginning, but we've already met with a number of educators, and here's some of what we've learned so far.

• Whether they've been in the classroom for less than three years or more than 20, educators want to be involved in the professional decisions that impact teaching and learning.
• Teachers agree that there needs to be some kind of accountability system, but it must be based on multiple measures. Assessments must be better aligned to the standards and what's taught in the classroom. And teachers must be included in developing the assessments.
• We must increase school funding in order to reduce class sizes in all grades and provide students with the textbooks and materials they need.
• We need to look at developing smaller schools and preschool for all children.
• Teachers need more time to collaborate with each other.
• And, we need more parental and community involvement in our schools.

So, while the election may be over, our fight in many ways is just beginning. And I know we will make a difference.