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#redfored

An open letter to Arizona Teachers United

RE: The narrative

For decades we've languished like a sick patient in recovery, or wounded in triage. Doing more and more with less and less. In Rick DuFour's book, In Praise of American Educators and How They Can Get Even Better, he points to credible evidence that stacks up nicely, nearly proving this point.

American teachers have never been better. Ever. So why isn't the general public more actionable & supportive. I mean we get the nod, the praise, the lip service, which is nice.

Comparatively speaking, our professional counterparts have what we need.

  1. Collective bargaining power - united they approach the communities they serve and participate as a unit to ensure fiscal and operational viability.
  2. Tools they need - every officer, paramedic, and firefighter has what they need to do their job. The community never balks at making sure this is the case. 
  3. Fiscal agreements - first responders know how much they're going to make, understand their retirement, and can articulate growth/leadership opportunities.
These three things are relatable, actionable, and already established among professionals admired by the public trust. 

Ditch the percentages, class sizes, and insurance arguments. It's a narrative that hasn't worked for decades - and frankly it sounds like whining. Stop it.

We chose this profession, let's act and narrate like the professionals that we are.

For more information on policy and education advocacy, visit The Center Creek Institute.

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