Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/389203
22 Special Election Edition 2014 x AEA Advocate When it comes to elections, your vote matters, but your voice has even greater significance. According to GALLUP ® opinion polling, 70 percent of the American public trust grade school teachers. When you speak to the public about your views on education and which candidates you feel support your views, voters listen. That is why events like the Day of Action on October 11, are so critical for the future of public education in our state. Educators like you, getting out the vote for this election, through knocking on doors and making phone calls, are what is going to make a difference in this General Election. The stakes are high for public school employees and students this year. Arizona's current leaders are shortchanging our students by willfully refusing to fully fund the inflation factor for the base level of education funding. Despite a court order resulting from a lawsuit by AEA and a coalition of the education community, state leaders continue to waste taxpayer money on appeals in order to stall the payment owed to our public schools. By electing a pro-public education Governor and Legislature, we can ensure our students get that additional $317 million. Victories in this year's election could mean a Superintendent who stands in support with public schools and not abandon them, a Governor who will veto any bill that cuts another dime from public education funding, and a pro-public education Arizona Legislature that can work towards reinstating free full-day kindergarten, due process for classified staff, or adding a moratorium on evaluations tied to student test scores until our educators have the time and resources they need to properly implement and learn the new state standards. This past legislative session, AEA was able to stop numerous bad bills from passing, including a private school voucher bill that would have expanded to 73% of the student population, an educator gag bill that threatened to silence your political voice, and a bill that threatened your retirement security. These victories are the result of work done in the 2012 election. We need to build on our work from two years ago so we are not always playing defense and, instead, we can move our own legislative agenda forward. View the candidates recommended by the AEA, NEA, and local associations in this guide. Share with your family and friends. Visit www. vote4schoolsaz.com for more information. Vote and then take action on October 11 to ensure victory on November 4! 2 The First Step Is Voting Elections Matter The next step is to take action. Elections matter because politics influence education policy, which determines a lot about the work you do and has a significant impact on the academic success of our students, especially when it comes to funding.