Act  Local.  Get  Vocal.  Make  a  Difference.    

PA  Education  Team   Summary:  The  Durham  People’s  Alliance  Education  Team  works  

to  support  a  unified  Public  Education  system  for  all  families  in  Durham.    We  believe  in  local  control  of  tax  dollars  so  that  families  and  elected  officials  can  make  decisions  about  Durham’s  educational  system.  The  Education  Team  encourages  collaboration  and  creative  approaches  to  education.    We  feel  that  teachers,  families  and  students  should  be  participants  in  the  decisions  made  about  our  schools.    Contact  Information:  Carl  Rist,  rist@frontier.com    www.durhampa.org      

 Context    With  the  exit  of  the  DPS  Superintendent  at  the  beginning  of  2014,  and  the  school  board  elections  scheduled  for  May,  the  Durham  Public  Schools  is  poised  to  experience  significant  change.    The  North  Carolina  Legislature  continues  to  pass  regressive  legislature  that  negatively  effects  public  education.    Local  budgets  are  cut  and  teachers  are  demoralized.    At  the  same  time  grass  roots  advocacy  is  growing  in  response  to  the  assault  from  the  General  Assembly  and  local  organizing  is  getting  stronger.    2014  Priorities    Teacher  support    The  Ed  Team  will  continue  to  work  to  change  the  negative  narrative  about  public  educators.        Action  items:    

1) Collaborate  whenever  possible  with  Organize  20/20,  the  Durham  Association  of  Educators,  and  other  groups  in  efforts  to  unify  and  organize  teachers.  

2) Promote  the  “Celebrate  a  Teacher”  campaign  by  selling  shirts  and  wearing  red  on  Wednesdays.    Support  teachers  during  public  events  or  actions.  

3) Educate  the  public  about  the  legislation  regarding  teacher  salaries  and  due  process  limitations.  

 Information  and  Idea  Dissemination    PA  members  look  to  the  Ed  Team  for  information  about  education  issues.    Part  of  our  mission  is  to  raise  awareness  among  our  membership  and  to  the  community  at-­‐large.    Action  items:    

1) Organize  and  implement  regular  community  round  table  discussions  on  topics  designated  by  the  team.  

2) Be  publically  responsive  to  issues  that  effect  the  public  schools.    This  includes  letters  to  the  editor,  speaking  at  Board  of  Education  meetings  and  attending  public  education  events.    

Act  Local.  Get  Vocal.  Make  a  Difference.    

PA  Education  Team   Summary:  The  Durham  People’s  Alliance  Education  Team  works  

to  support  a  unified  Public  Education  system  for  all  families  in  Durham.    We  believe  in  local  control  of  tax  dollars  so  that  families  and  elected  officials  can  make  decisions  about  Durham’s  educational  system.  The  Education  Team  encourages  collaboration  and  creative  approaches  to  education.    We  feel  that  teachers,  families  and  students  should  be  participants  in  the  decisions  made  about  our  schools.    Contact  Information:  Carl  Rist,  rist@frontier.com    www.durhampa.org      

   

3) Collaborate  with  other  Education  Advocacy  and  community  groups  to  sponsor  informative  events.  

4) Collaborate  to  present  a  film  event  about  public  education.    Board  of  Education  Elections    During  this  election  year  the  Ed  Team  will  focus  some  of  its  efforts  to  guide  the  PA  PAC  endorsement  process.    Four  school  board  seats  are  open  this  year.    Action  items:    

1) Develop  and  disseminate  a  candidate  questionnaire.  2) Interview  all  the  candidates  and  make  recommendations  to  the  PA  PAC.  3) Work  in  support  of  the  endorsed  candidates  leading  up  to  the  May  6th  election.