Legislative involvement: How you can take an active role

There’s more to teaching than what you do in the classroom. You’re subject to state laws and you benefit from state funding, so not only should you keep up with state issues, it’s in your best interest to take an active role in influencing them.

The best way to make teaching more effective, more attractive and more professional is to partner with TCTA in maintaining relationships with your state lawmakers. Helping the “good guys” get elected, keeping them in office, and making sure they know what teachers are thinking are all crucial aspects to making sure you have the tools you need to give your students the best possible education.

This fall, teachers should start by contacting their current lawmakers to establish or maintain relationships. But soon elections will be the focus; the filing deadline for the 2010 elections is in January, with primaries in March and the general election in November.

Contacting your legislators now
The best time to make contact with your state senators and representatives is during the months after a legislative session and before campaign season gears up. Whether you write, call or visit in person, it’s always best to start with a thank you to the legislator for his/her interest in public education, tell a little about yourself, then get to the point of the communication.

Map out the issues you’d like to cover and do your homework. Legislators expect you to be an expert on classroom issues, not state law, but having some familiarity with the basics is a must. Always be professional; try to relate all issues, including those concerning teacher pay and benefits, back to your students; and be concise. If you’ve scheduled a face-to-face visit, be sure to follow up with a thank you note.

The “GAIN” section of the TCTA website can help you determine who your legislators are and find additional contact information for them.

TCTA avoids providing form letters for our members – extensive research and experience tell us that such communications are ineffective and often ignored by policymakers. Individual communications relating personal experiences are the best way to get a point across. TCTA provides you with the background information you need to get started, and we’re happy to answer any specific questions you may have before you make those legislative contacts.

Campaign season

Campaign season may start as early as this fall, before the official filing period for elections even begins. If you’re aware of a candidate you would like to support, getting involved early is a great way to become known and establish the groundwork for a long-term working relationship.

Be sure to cover all of “the basics” outlined below; if you would like to help a particular candidate get elected, take at least three of the actions listed in the “what’s next” section which also follows.

The basics

Know your election dates. The primary elections will take place Tuesday, March 2, 2010; the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. Early voting takes place for a two-week period prior to the election date.

Identify the candidates. Go to TCTA’s TexasTeachersVote.org for information on the candidates in your legislative districts. This information will be available after the January 2010 filing deadline.

Check the voting record and/or education positions of the candidates. Again, TCTA’s TexasTeachersVote.org is the place to go. Prior to the elections, the site will include voting records of incumbent candidates, and survey responses for other candidates who chose to fill out our questionnaire on key education issues.

What’s next?

Now that you’ve determined there is a teacher-friendly candidate you would like to support, here’s how you can help:

• Contact the candidate to offer your assistance with his/her campaign. Since TCTA does not endorse candidates, you will need to offer assistance as an individual, not as a TCTA representative. Options include:

• Spread the word. Tell your friends and family, church acquaintances, etc., about the candidate and urge them to vote. Inform them of his/her pro-education positions, and direct them to the candidate’s website.

• Get local teachers excited and involved. Talk to your colleagues about how they can help the candidate’s campaign. Plan to carpool to your voting location and then proudly wear your “I VOTED!” sticker.

• Hold a candidate forum. TCTA has an information sheet on Planning a Candidate Forum, available at TexasTeachersVote.org, that can help you get started.

• Check to see if the candidate has requested a contribution from ACT For TCTA (TCTA’s political action committee) and/or mailing labels from TCTA. Since TCTA does not endorse candidates, campaign contributions and mailing labels allow us to provide support for pro-education candidates.

• Emphasize early voting. Teachers (and other busy people) often find it very difficult to get to polling places on Election Day. Early voting provides an easy opportunity to vote at a convenient location and time.

• Make a financial contribution - even a small one. As little as $25 can help to pay for yard signs, bumper stickers, phone calls, and other tools that allow a candidate to carry on a conversation with voters. For example, a $25 donation will cover at least two yard signs, and just a few signs on a single street can have a positive impact. Or it can pay for an hour’s worth of time from a couple of block-walkers. Consider becoming a fundraiser yourself by convincing a few friends or colleagues to match your own contribution. Suddenly, your $25 can become $100 or $200, and make a big difference in any campaign.

NOTE: School employees should use personal, rather than work, e-mail for communications regarding campaigns or elections.

Updated: 09/23/09