Advocacy Starts With You: Standing Up for Yourself Is Standing Up for ALL of Us

“But they can’t do that, right?”

I get this question a lot in my role as an ATPE campus representative. For example, “They can’t ask me to cover another teacher’s class during my planning time, right?”

My response is the same each time: “They can if you let them.” This answer isn’t always what people want to hear. It’s preferred that I wave a wand and make an issue disappear. And believe me, if I were the magical advocacy fairy, I would. But the reality is that advocacy starts with you. Typically, it begins with a conversation between you and the other party (in some cases, your appraiser). And, in my experience, educators are reluctant to push back for two reasons: They are unaware of their rights, or they know their rights but are unsure about how to stand up for them professionally.

As an ATPE representative who has tripled membership rates at my campus, I know that listening to teachers is paramount to increasing the number of educators who want to join ATPE. Right now, I’m hearing a lot of teachers who are dissatisfied with working conditions. Each year, more work is put on their plate with no extra time or support. 

I view my role as an educator advocate who wants to make teaching an attractive career choice again for future educators while improving conditions for experienced teachers. I believe that the work we do at ATPE can change lives. 

I want members to not only join ATPE but also feel confident in advocating both for themselves and for all educators. 

Know Your Rights

Although sometimes it doesn’t feel like it, we do have rights as educators. For a large overview of them, check out ATPE’s “Common Legal Questions.” I will focus on planning time as it’s a common “right” that often feels ignored. Per Texas Education Code, Section 21.404, classroom teachers are entitled to 450 minutes of planning time within each two-week window, unless your school is a charter school or has chosen to opt out of this statute through its District of Innovation plan. This time is allotted for “parent teacher conferences, evaluating students’ work, and planning … a classroom teacher may not be required to participate in any other activity.”

It seems pretty straightforward: As teachers, we have a right to time set aside for planning. So what happens when we are asked to give up that time to cover another teacher’s class? That depends entirely upon you. You could accept, or—depending on the circumstances—you could say, “Unfortunately, I have a prior commitment during my planning time.” It’s rare that a teacher doesn’t have something to work on during their legally protected conference period, so it’s completely acceptable to express it in many instances. Knowing your rights emboldens you to protect them.

As an eligible ATPE member, I know that I can call the ATPE Member Legal Services Department for a fast response whether it’s about planning time, absences/leave, or assigned duties. With ATPE, I always know my rights. (Editor’s note: Please see below for important information about the insured benefits* and legal resources* available to eligible ATPE members.)

Responding Professionally

At this point, some educators might say, “But if I speak up for my rights, won’t I be retaliated against?”

My ATPE membership includes access to the Educators Professional Liability Insurance Policy. This insured benefit means I have the peace of mind of knowing I won’t be facing thousands of dollars in legal costs if I need attorney assistance with an employment-related situation. With ATPE, not only do I know my rights but also how to move forward in a professional manner. ATPE members may speak directly with an attorney and have access to information and support on large issues (e.g., discrimination and retaliation) and small (e.g., dissatisfaction with an evaluation or an answer to a question about leave).

The ATPE Member Legal Services Department can support you through having a critical conversation, requesting a different appraiser, writing a rebuttal to a memorandum (a “write-up”), and—if all else fails—filing a grievance. With ATPE, I know that I can handle any work situation professionally.

Advocacy for ALL

Advocacy truly starts with each of us. The more of us who speak up, the less our rights will be revoked as it forces “the powers that be” to create alternative solutions—ones that don’t infringe on our rights or put more on our already overflowing plates.

ATPE provides educators with tools to impact positive change at scale, including at the local and state level. With Teach the Vote, I can learn more about the public education stance of members of the State Board of Education and the Texas Legislature. I can use Advocacy Central to contact my representatives, research legislation that impacts educators, and speak up on issues I care about.

ATPE’s dedicated lobbyists also have a blog that keeps you informed about the latest news in public education. And if I really want to put my money where my mouth is, I can contribute to the ATPE Political Action Committee (ATPE-PAC), which supports candidates and officeholders who share ATPE’s pro-public education philosophies. (Editor’s note: Please see below for important information about ATPE-PAC.**)

Additionally, the new ATPE Member Advocate Program (ATPE-MAP) provides participants with CPE-eligible training on advocacy for public education. Members can choose a microcredential path in either local or state advocacy. Those who complete the state-level advocacy pathway are eligible to apply to attend “Capitol Expeditions” during the legislative session.

Advocacy looks different depending on the individual choices that we make. But we all have the potential to effect positive change. When discussing our rights, I’m reminded of the old adage: “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” If my rights as an educator are violated and I say nothing, did my rights ever exist at all?