Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1004939
W elcome back to school! This is going to be an exciting school year. Educators in Arizona feel empowered by the #RedforEd movement and I'm looking forward to starting the year strong. Arizona and the nation watched us rise up and take a stand for our students and professions. During this "Educator Spring," educators awoke to the strength of our collective power and voice. Through our actions – wearing red, walk-ins, rallies, and walkouts – we impacted the system and changed the lives of our students, our future students, our colleagues, community members, and ourselves. We are all changed by this movement. I have heard the six days we spent at the Arizona Legislature during the walkout described as the best professional development ever. We all learned a valuable lesson watching our elected officials ignore the will of the people, attempt to pass laws attacking educators, and oppose restoring full funding to public schools despite having 150,000 people descend on the Capitol. We learned that if we want to restore funding for schools, we have to take matters into our own hands, and we did. We didn't stop after the Legislature went home. We hit the streets during the summer to collect 270,000 signatures to get the Invest in Education Initiative on the November ballot. We learned that we need to change the faces at the Legislature if we want to change how our state treats our students and professions. I am proud to see so many educators make the decision to run for public office to be the change they want to see. #RedforEd transformed the narrative about public schools in Arizona because we chose to take risks, stay informed, get involved, speak up, and take action. If we stay engaged in the movement, then together we can create the schools our students deserve. 4 ADVOCATE | SUMMER 2018 IN SOLIDARITY by Joe Thomas AEA OFFICERS Joe Thomas President Marisol Garcia Vice President Angela Philpot Treasurer AEA STAFF Mark J. Simons Executive Director Sheenae Shannon Editor Roxanne Rash Graphic Design Advertising The AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602- 264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887. Email: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. AEA's website may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. The AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Moving? Please let us know before you go. Simply clip your mailing label from the back of the Advocate and send it along with your new address to: AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532 - 9 Joseph H. Thomas, President Arizona Education Association