Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1480924
CTA members seek to serve schools from the dais By Julian Peeples Educators Run for School Board A C R O S S C A L I F O R N I A , educators are rising to answer another call to public service — by running for election to school boards this November. Seeking to bring their knowledge and experience in education to school boards in their home communities, these educators are stepping up to build the schools all students deserve as elected policymakers. Here are a number of the dedicated educators seeking election this year. All of them have been endorsed by the local educators' associations where they are running. Visit cta.org/educator for extended versions of these profiles and conversations with other CTA members running for elected office. Maimona Afzal Berta Special education teacher, Alum Rock Educators Association; board member, Franklin-McKinley School District Running for: Santa Clara County Board of Education Why? Our students and community deserve to have an elected leader whose sole focus is education. As a public school teacher, community leader and local school board elected official, I've had the opportunity to learn, collaborate and establish a track record of putting students first and leading systems-level change. Why now? There has never been a more crucial time in education when it comes to meeting student needs and creating sup- portive school systems. When COVID-19 hit, I co-founded the Digital Equity Coalition because having access to the internet was literally a seat in the virtual classroom. As a result of our advocacy efforts, we helped 15,000 vulnerable families connect to the internet with devices and hot spots. We need elected leaders who understand how to address existing inequities in education, as well as drive change on issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Advice for other hopefuls? We need more teachers in elected office. The individuals mak- ing decisions on behalf of students and our communities must be grounded in the reality and challenges that our schools and districts face. Educators are uniquely positioned to lead because we are leaders in the system already and bring an unmatched perspective on what works and what doesn't. Website: VoteMaimona.com; Twitter, Facebook: @VoteMaimona; Instagram: @MaimonaBerta 36 cta.org Election 2022