Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1390700
Safe Just Clockwise from left: WEA President Grady Hutcherson, WEA members and members of the Safe and Just Schools Cadre: Fort Washakie EA President Jamie LeJambre, Northwest Region Representative Reva Lobatos, Ethnic Minority Representative to the WEA Board Lydia Rayfield, Libby Crews Wood, Michelle Rooks, Matt Neely, WEA Treasurer and Powell Co-President John Fabela, WEA UniServ Director Jeny Gardner, Jamie L eJambre. A new cadre of ten educators working toward safer, more just, Wyoming public schools met for a working retreat in May. Their work is being done with support from Safe and Just Schools grant funding provided by the National Education Association (NEA). WEA Vice President Kim Amen is leading work done under this grant. "This retreat served two purposes," Amen told WEA News. "We did initial training on various issues related to Safe and Just Schools," she shared. "Cadre members worked to identify their main areas of focus for the next school year and began drafting templates for trainings." The cadre is now developing a historical timeline that will include Wyoming-specific events impacting racism and training on implicit bias, LGBTQ+ legal rights in educational settings, how to have difficult conversations, and an umbrella training on social justice and restorative justice practices in schools. 18 Members of the cadre will be presenting these trainings to school leadership, locals, regions, and community partners throughout the state. "Our goal is to educate our members and the community and to ensure that our members are protected, as these issues impact our classrooms," said Amen. "We are very excited to have the opportunity to do this work," she said. "We believe that all schools should be safe, just, and equitable, and that begins with education and conversations around these issues. This cadre is passionate and dedicated to the cause, and I can't wait to see the results of our work in the coming year."