Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/250321
Advocacy Education Policy Getting the technology to implement the Common Core State Standards is a priority, says Dora Crane, with bus driver Gina Sanchotena. TEACHER KEEPS WHEELS OF THE BUS GOING ROUND AND ROUND to a screeching halt in the Merced Union High School District nearly a year ago, Dora Crane vowed to get the buses rolling again. The physical education teacher at Tenaya Middle School in the Merced City School District ran for a seat on the high school board. She talked about only one issue — transportation. Campaign signs had a picture of a big yellow bus next to her name. "It really affected kids when they cut $1.2 million from transportation," says Crane, who is also the Merced City Teachers Association president. "We have low-income kids; 87 percent of them are on a free or reduced lunch. Their parents make minimum wage. If they didn't live five miles from school, they couldn't take the bus. It broke my heart to see kids walking miles to school in the pouring rain or in 105-degree heat." She encouraged parents to come to meetings to talk about the transportation problem. She rang doorbells. She went to every organization in town "from Democrats to Tea Party people" to make her case and unseated the incumbent, whom she describes as a "big fish" in town. Shortly thereafter, bus service resumed. "I was surprised when I won, and I didn't really expect to unseat the incumbent. But my message was clear: What we were doing to these kids was absolutely wrong." WH E N T R A N S P O RTATI ON C A M E PROVIDING A TEACHER'S PERSPECTIVE IN BUELLTON in Buellton Union School District asked Ken Stevens to run for school board, he said yes and ran unopposed. "It's a small town of 4,000 people. I have kids in the school district. I was happy to bring a teacher's perspective to the school board," says the math teacher at La Colina Junior High School, who serves as bargaining chair of his local, the Santa Barbara Teachers Association. A teacher's perspective provides a sense of reality when it comes to planning new projects. "We're putting money into technology and the Common Core. At my own school we had iPads and big-screen TVs, but the wireless network never worked, so we couldn't use any of it. If we are going to put money into technology, we have to make sure an infrastructure and support system is first in place. I want to make sure we don't have the same problems in Buellton. A teacher may have a different view on something like construction projects. Board members may think construction in the parking lot will not affect teachers and students, but they haven't taught with it going on and don't understand how noise and debris can affect classrooms. Teachers can see the big picture — as well as the small details that affect school employees on an everyday basis." WH E N S EVE R A L TE AC H E RS Being a teacher, CTA chapter president and school board member is a very exciting time for me. Serving on the school board is a big responsibility. I tell people, "Just because I'm a teacher, don't expect me to vote for you every time." I may vote a certain way, but I still expect you to shake my hand at church on Sunday. I have to do what's best for the district. My goal on the school board is to first figure out how the Local Control Funding Formula will affect us. Once we predict what money will be coming our way, we need to get all the stakeholders together in a room — parents, teachers, administrators and students — to decide what our priorities are. One priority will be getting the technology we need to implement the Common Core State Standards. Winning the election was possible because of all the trainings I've received from CTA about getting people and stakeholders to help you. I was supported by all of the local CTA chapters and also by the California School Employees Association for classified employees. I think they underestimated me. But they shouldn't have, because CTA taught me a lot about campaigns and winning elections. The CTA way is "organize and mobilize." That's how I won. 34 Educator 02 Feb 2014 v2.1 int.indd 34 FE B RUARY 20 14 1/27/14 3:52 PM