By Sarah Ortiz | Contributing Writer
How did you spend your Spring Break? Did you spend it in Austin rallying for education? Did you spend it trying to persuade your state representatives and senators to take a different approach to budget cuts to avoid cutting spending on education?
On Monday, March 14, the first day of Spring Break, over 500 San Antonio educators from NISD, SAISD, NEISD, Edgewood ISD, South San ISD, and other ISDs associated with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), as well as students and parents met at NEISD’s Blossom Athletic Center in pursuit of lobbying their state representatives and senators. Their mission was to present a balanced approach for the state budget, rather than taking cuts by using the rainy day funds. Among these supporters, I was one of the only college students from San Antonio lobbying for a chance to have a future in educating future generations.
By 7:20 a.m., the group, led by Alliance President Shelley Potter, gathered in front of media chanting “Our kids, Our futures, Texas can do better!” with hopes of pumping up the group for a long day of visiting multiple representatives and rallying in front of the Capitol.
The morning went like this:
7:45 a.m.: Eight Daisy Charter buses deployed, Austin bound, without a single empty seat. Some supporters even followed in their own vehicles.
9:15 a.m. All buses arrived and unloaded in from of the capitol. Dispersing into multiple groups according to zip codes and school districts, to ensure speaking with the correct Representatives, the groups headed into the Capitol with determination leading the way.
Walking through the Capitol, San Antonio educators were met with other AFT chapters from all over Texas. The hallways were lined with educators and children waiting for a chance to sign the representatives’ guestbooks. Our first stop, accompanying by a NISD group, was a meeting with Rep. Jose Menendez, an education advocate.
While lining the hallway, waiting to get into the small office, Dr. John Folks, Northside ISD Superintendent, rounded the corner greeted by a small roar of applause from the group. Thanking each member coming out to support the cause, Dr. Folks shook each and every member’s hand with a warm smile. Immediately the group’s energy was revamped with his presence, as the superintendent backed the efforts of his educators and students, while also persuading the reps to take a balanced approach instead of issuing cuts. Dr. Folks walked among our group as we visited with Reps. Jose Menendez, Roland Gutierrez, and Rep. Mike Villarreal.
Some members were able to speak with the representatives, offering testimonies and experiences in hopes of persuading them to pass on the peoples’ voices. Others left notes for the reps, which we were told would be taken into account and responded to via mail. Each representative walked through the halls shaking the hands of the supporters, asking which school they represented.
When each of them heard I was a college student from TAMU-SA working toward my degree and certification, their eyes would widen and they would say ‘Good luck’. I told them I was there to ensure I, and my classmates, had a future in the education system. When departing from the group, Dr. Folks left a few of us with some advice, looking straight in our eyes. “Stay after ‘em,” he said. Or, as I like to say, ‘Give them Heck!’” And that is what we planned to do for the rest of the afternoon.
After lunch, chapters of the AFT from all over Texas, along with students, parents and the community, gathered in front of the Capitol with the music from Houston’s Stephen F. Austin High School Marching Band in the background. Chants of “Save our schools!” came from all directions as the educators joined as one. Anyone not in the know would have thought it was raining in Austin with all the umbrellas held over the crowd. Representatives and spokespeople led the rally with speeches. One spokesman said “We are at war! A war against the Middle Class!” as he elaborated on the attack on public schools. Another spokeswoman pleaded “Texas is smarter than this. Invest, not divest, in our schools!” Another spokesman rallied “Texas has options! Texas has revenue options! Texas has the option to use the Rainy Day Fund! Texas has options!” as the crowd cheered and raised their umbrellas each time the Rainy Day Fund was acknowledged. As the rally continued, representatives and senators streamed through the crowds showing their support for the lobbyists by shaking their hands and having small conversations with each person. Among these Representatives was our own Major Julian Castro’s twin, Rep. Joaquin Castro.
Impacting Legislators, One Conversation at a Time
The weather moved from gloomy to sunshine as the rally continued. When the chanting turned into a dull roar, the crowd dispersed into the previous small groups, heading back into the Capitol to meet with more reps and senators to make the most of the peoples’ voices. We were able to speak with members of Sen. Shapiro’s office members to voice opinions that would be relayed to Sen. Shapiro. We signed each of their guestbooks and left notes pleading for support of education.
By the end of the day, San Antonio educators, students and parents were spent and tired from the rallying and lobbying. On the charter buses back to San Antonio, those on the buses buzzed with hopes of how our presence should have made an impact on the Texas Legislature. Among the buzz was talk too about how Gov. Perry never showed his face, never spoke a single word, never had the nerve to come out among the lobbyists to face the mistakes the government had made.
For those of you in the education, I encourage you to write to your state representatives and senators, visit their offices, and do anything you can to persuade them to avoid taking cuts, but to take a balanced approach to the state budget. This is your future on the line! This is your career on the line! Take Dr. Folks advice and “Give them heck!”
Sarah Ortiz (saraheliza7@gmail.com) is an education major at Texas A&M-San Antonio. Please comment on this story below.
