Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1419437
Retired Retired "Try and understand what part you have to play in the world in which you live. There's more to life than you know, and it's all happening out there. Discover what part you can play and go for it." - Sir Ian McKellan. This is exactly where we are: each and every person reading this column HAS a part to play, and we need to take on that part. The part is helping shape the future of Wyoming education. I beli eve that Eldridge Cleaver's words, "You are either part of the solution or part of the problem," are truer today for you and me and the landscape of public education than they have ever been in my five decades as part of Wyoming education. Whether a child is one of the 86 students in Clearmont or the 13,840 students in Cheyenne or anywhere else in Wyoming, they deserve and— according to the Wyoming Consti tution—are entitled to high-quality, equitable education. I fear that will not happen if you and I and thousands of other stakeholders fail to let our legislators know why education MUST BE a priority this upcoming session. Please read WEA Government Relations Director Tate Mullen's article on page 6 of this publication for in-depth information on legislative issues impacting public education. The 2022 Bud get Session is four months away. Our senators and representatives must understand why funding and other education issues are crucial to each classroom and school throughout Wyoming's 48 school districts. The future of nearly 92,000 students and the future of Wyoming depends on it. Yes, education costs money, but having an uneducated workforce and society will cost much more in the future. During this upco ming session, it is vital that legislators understand that educating Wyoming's children is a solemn responsibility, not a political stand-off. All of Wyoming's House seats and half of our Senate seats are up for election in 2022. That means there will be 75 races, and we have a pivotal opportunity to affect what the Wyoming Legislature will look like for the following two years.We must elect a legislature that views educating Wyoming's children as a priority, and we can start now. WEA's Political Action Committee for Education (WEA-PACE) finds and supports candidates who believe a quality education system is a priority in Wyoming. How can you help? Run for office yourself. Encourage another pro-education candidate to run. Donate to PACE: campaigns are expensive. Go to wyoea.org and donate anytime online o r mail your contribution to the Cheyenne WEA office. Participate in WEA-Retired's first-ever online auction coming in November. Stay tuned! In the next few weeks, we will be sending out information about this fun opportunity to raise funds for WEA- PACE. Without adequate funding, how will we keep and attract quality teachers and Education Support Professionals, provide diverse programs and activities, or ha ve well-run school districts? I fear we cannot. I cannot emphasize enough how pressing it is that each of us become engaged in whatever ways we can to effect a bright future for Wyoming's kids. WEA and WEA-R will be sending out opportunities for you to do just that. "You may never know what results come of your actions, but if you do nothing, there will be no results." - Mahatma Gandhi Vicki Swenson President WEA-R vicki@wyoming.com Fall greetings from WEA-Retired, In Appreciation, Vicki Swenson President WEA-R "The main hope of a nation lies in the proper education of its youth." - Erasmus 30