Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/108811
SUSAN TALAMANTES EGGMAN, State Assembly District 13, D-Stockton, California Faculty Association Susan Talamantes Eggman decided to stop ���feeling like a victim��� and ran for the ���rst government of���ce available. Soon she was a Stockton City Council member. The economy tanked and Stockton was among the cities hardest hit by foreclosures, crime and unemployment. It strengthened her belief that education was the solution to many problems, including poverty. The devastating budget cuts at CSU Sacramento, where she was an associate professor of social work, led her to run for state Assembly. Serving on the Stockton City Council��� made me aware of the important role education plays in society. Explaining things to student interns helped me to be more intentional about my decisions and the thought that went into making them. It���s not about just what I can achieve personally; it���s about educating the next generation for leadership. My top priority is��� ���xing the California State University system. It was terrible seeing students who needed my class being unable to add one more chair to an overcrowded classroom. Due to budget cuts, faculty had to teach things that were not their forte. I saw students staying in school longer and taking out extra loans to get the classes they needed. What do you expect from lobbyists? I tell my students they need to know exactly what they are asking for and to tell a compelling story about what is needed. If they are telling a legislator that cuts are detrimental to mental health services, they need to show there are real consequences that will impact them personally if services are cut. RAUL BOCANEGRA, State Assembly District 39, D-Pacoima, California Faculty Association As a professor of urban studies and planning at CSU Northridge, Raul Bocanegra encouraged students to look at the past, present and future of Los Angeles when focusing on ways to improve the quality of life for residents. His ability to look at the big picture and visualize change helped him to win a seat in the Legislature by 17 points. He believes job creation and education are ���one and the same��� and says it will be his main focus in Sacramento. Being in the classroom helped me prepare for this��� There are a lot of similarities between professors and legislators. As a professor, I try to ���nd a way to get through to my students and engage them in a subject. As a legislator, I���m trying to do the same thing with my colleagues and constituents, but this is a bigger classroom. I was honored��� to be named chairman of the Revenue and Taxation Committee, and honored that the speaker chose me to serve in this very important position. One of the most important things��� we will need to consider in this new era is changing the two-thirds majority to raise taxes. Now that Democrats have a two-thirds majority, it allows us to enact some progressive reform. It will be all about looking at the tax code and trying to make sense of it. The last time it was revised was 35 years ago. Educators should talk with legislators��� using electronic media, so we know what is happening in the classroom on a daily basis. Dialogue should not just be one time a year during Lobby Day. During my campaign, there was a lot of communication through Facebook, and it���s a great way to continue to engage and communicate with voters. MARK TAKANO, Congressional District 41, D-Riverside, Rialto Educators Association This Rialto High School English teacher and Riverside Community College District Board member is the ���rst openly LGBT person of color elected to Congress. He served as the gay-straight alliance club leader, helping to protect teens from bullying. His students convinced him to run for of���ce again after the passage of Proposition 8, which outlaws gay marriage. Being a teacher��� has prepared me for Congress because I have seen the shortcomings of federal policy. When it comes to No Child Left Behind, I would like to see other ways to think about teacher accountability besides test scores. I don���t really like Race to the Top, which incorporates standardized testing as part of teacher evaluations. I would like the ���rst bill we take up to be the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Other goals I have��� are initiating and expanding training programs to create jobs and improve the economy. Jobs are un���lled because people lack training to ���ll them, so workers are recruited from overseas or we have critical job shortages in ���elds like nursing. We need to improve career technical training opportunities for young people ��� and older people trying to retool careers. It���s important for teachers to be advocates��� because they are emblems of hope. Our voice is respected and our community wants us to step forward. Advice for teacher advocates? Remind legislators of the important work you do and that education is an investment for the long term. It���s different from being a consumable luxury for the moment. Remind legislators we can���t afford not to invest in education. It���s our seed corn; we must protect it. February 2013 www.cta.org 19