ABC Committee Campaign Speech

Recently I had the honor of running for the At-Large position for CTA's ABC Committee. This committee is in charge of administering CTA's PAC funds. The following was my speech to CTA's State Council:

David, Dean Gail, carolyn, Council,

It's truly an honor to address this body for the first time and I'm grateful to m colleagues in the Sweetwater Education Association for the opportunity to serve with each of you.

Although I've met many of you at conferences, committees and the Read Across America table, I should take a moment to introduce myself. I am the son of Ampelio and María Rodriguez; two hard working people who rose from humble origins, and who by example taught my brothers an I, the value of education, dedication, responsibility and service. Armed with these fundamental principles, I began a teaching career in 1987.

Since then I've worn many hats for my local: Site Rep, Elections Chair, State Council member, Secretary, Communications Chair and all around web guy. However, nobody is more surprised than I, to find myself asking for your vote today.

I've taken pride in being a foot soldier. I'm proud that the communications plan that Alex mentioned is being used in trainings; that CTA staff is sharing it with locals going through difficult bargaining. That's what foot soldiers do. They work hard and in anonymity. Under normal circumstances I would have been happy to continue in that role. But circumstances haven't been normal for a while now.

I seek the position of ABC Minority At-Large out of a sense of conviction. A conviction born from the powerful lessons I learned during SEA's last round of bargaining. From the start we faced a Superintendent with a clear strategy: intimidate and lie, weaken the union, fast track to factfinding, and impose a contract. That strategy failed.

That experience taught me that organizing is paramount; that communication with members is the cornerstone of success; that there is power in collective action and most importantly, that school boards matter.

During the eighteen months of stalled bargaining, our School Board was disengaged, negligent and at times outright hostile. They fully endorsed our superintendent's tactics. At one point, a board member suggested that a 15% pay-cut was NOT out line. And after approving over 150 RIFs, they extended the superintendent's contract. School Boards matter a great deal!

We are living in a time when the enemies of public education are well entrenched, and our traditional allies are at best unrecognizable.

We are living in a time when tens of thousands of teachers across the country helped elect a President and a Congress, who in turn have dedicated more federal dollars to education than we've ever seen before; yet the best they can come up with is "Race to the Top."

School Boards matter more than ever!

We must dedicate effort, time and financial resources to taking back our schools! And given what's happening in Washington and Sacramento, the only way to do so is one school board at a time.

I know I should be asking for your vote with a big smile and a sunny disposition but I can't. I'm frustrated an angry! I see what's happening to locals up and down the state. The ridiculous proposals; big pay cuts, unpaid furlough days, "do more with less." Increase the curriculum, shrink the school year and be accountable to the results. When did we become the national scapegoat?

I ask that you send me to ABC to be the voice of all minority groups in this room and of teachers of minority students, I will be an advocate and a liaison. I will work to bring in more minority leaders because we need more hands not fewer. Allow me to serve on a committee that recognizes you must have the resources you need to take back your schools!

Thank you.