Originally posted September 5, 2019

Ever feel like there’s an invisible-ink policy working against your efforts at school?  As though someone from far away were making the wheels of your district turn?  The reality is, the policies are easily accessible to you, and you are financing the turning of the wheels.

If you wish to have a voice in your school, and if you wish you, your colleagues and parents were the wheel turners, you need to be informed.  If you want to be an empowered educator, you will have to spend some time reading and researching.

I get it, you’re in the throes of full-time teaching, you have a family, and you’d like to just sit and relax a bit. . . But hold on.  Spending just one hour a week reading recent rulings, legislation or proposed policy changes is all it takes to begin the journey toward being an informed teacher, and thus an empowered one.

The most important recent court ruling directly affecting you as a teacher is the Janus Supreme Court Case, decided in June of 2018. Take the first step to being empowered:  Inform yourself about the Janus case.  It’s a ruling in your favor, but that’s my opinion. Come to your own conclusions.

Here’s the link: Janus Supreme Court Opinions    Yes, it’s several pages. I’ll give you a tip: All the numbers, notes and symbols can largely be ignored.  Stick to what the judges are explaining, and you’ll be fine.  Of course, doing a Google search of Janus vs. AFSCME would be a great idea, too.

And remember: Informed teachers are empowered teachers.