Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1541528
Brie Baumgarten, front row center (holding white papers) with members of the Assn. of Linden Educators. Brie Baumgarten is vice president of the Association of Linden Edu- cators in San Joaquin County 12 miles east of Stockton. e local and its school district of 115 teachers recently went to impasse for the first time in their history. ALE has successfully used social media to convey information to the community and garner more member activity and support; its "Did You Knows" on Facebook, for example, let people know that the district is sitting on massive reserves — 41% more than the state requires. At the September board meeting, dozens of ALE members showed up wearing red. e October meeting drew twice the num- ber of members. Following Baumgarten's speech below, all ALE members walked out together. "Nothing felt stronger or better than in that moment," she said. I S T A N D B E F O R E Y O U tonight as the vice president of the Association of Linden Educators — but also as a teacher, a par- ent and someone who deeply loves this district. At the last board meeting, I spoke about the disappoint- ment our teachers feel over the stalled negotiations. I left that night feeling unheard and unseen. It was clear that minds were already made up. Board members, I hope you took the time to read the emails my members sent you about their paycheck concerns. Because only one of you responded. One. You are our board. You rep- resent us — you should not resent us. If y ou had read those emai l s, y ou w oul d have seen th e real impact of the insurance increase: an average post-tax loss of $142 a month — with some teachers losing as much as $280. That's not a small number when you're living pay- check to paycheck. Your silence told us everything. It told us you don't care. We are here tonight because our teachers are hurting. In my last speech, I said we weren't angry — we were disappointed. That is no longer the case. We are angry. We are working harder than ever, giving everything we have to our students, yet we are falling further behind. e cost of living keeps climbing — groceries, gas, rent, insurance Linden Vice President Speaks to Board About Massive District Reserves Small rural chapter demands district prioritize educators By Brie Baumgarten Continued on Page 17 15 D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 5 Spotlight