AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 local unions bring educator voices Into fall planning PD offerings now online, free to members Support for students, educators Education Minnesota’s website has been updated all summer, and will continue to be updated with resources for educators regarding educating during COVID. Information includes: f FAQs on educators with health f Checklists and guidance around concerns, distance learning privacy and reopening of school buildings. contractual rights, special education, f Resources on educator rights paid leaves, unemployment and and safety concerns regarding student loan debt relief. reopening of school buildings. f Contract bargaining resources f Lesson planning links. including Q Comp guidance, reopening resources, managing workload, ESP- Go to www.educationminnesota.org/ specific considerations and leave resources/in-the-classroom/Coronavirus provisions. to find all of the resources, and watch f A summary of the state guidance for updates as the school year begins. and executive orders. Table of contents August/September 2020 – Volume 23, No. 1 The Minnesota Educator publishes every other month. It is PRESIDENT’S COLUMN. We one of the union’s print and digital publications to educate, don’t just need to go back to inform and organize the community of members. The normal, we need to lead our Educator is reported, edited and designed by union staff members. The paper is printed in LSC Communications’ state toward fully funded schools union shop in Menasha, Wisconsin. Find copies of the that work for all our students. Educator online at www.educationminnesota.org. Go to the News menu, then Minnesota Educator. page 2 To reach the publication for queries, story or commentary ideas: Educators and local unions Email: [email protected] have been involved in Mail: Minnesota Educator district plans for fall. 41 Sherburne Ave. St. Paul, MN 55103 pages 4-5 To report a change of address or end duplicate mailings, contact the Education Education Minnesota’s survey Minnesota membership department: of more than 20,000 members Email: [email protected] showed educators are hesitant By web: www.educationminnesota.org and choose the Contact Us link to send a change of address. to return to buildings. To inquire about advertising in the pages 6-7 Educator or on the website: Email: [email protected] Education Minnesota puts resources Phone: 651-292-4829 behind racial equity work. For general inquiries and business at the state headquarters: page 8 Phone: 800-652-9073 or 651-227-9541 For information about union activities, work and A Q&A about licensure resources, go to www.educationminnesota.org. changes due to COVID-19. Follow Education Minnesota page 9 Facebook: www.facebook.com/EducationMinnesota Twitter: www.twitter.com/EducationMN School and child care fund to Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/EducationMN Instagram: www.instagram.com/educationminnesota provide financial support to ESPs. Minnesota Educator page 11 (ISSN 1521-9062) is a bimonthly publication. Periodicals are postage-paid at St. Paul, Unity Table members and staff Minnesota, and additional offices. Postmaster: guide work of campaign. Send address changes to Minnesota Educator, 41 Sherburne Ave., St. Paul, MN 55103-2196. pages 12-16 Minnesota Educator. All rights reserved, but readers are welcome to reproduce any article in whole or in part on the Education Minnesota’s endorsed condition that they give credit to Education Minnesota. candidates, as of Aug. 3. The Minnesota Educator is published for members to share news about education issues and training pages 17-18 opportunities for educators as well as union and political news that affects public education in Minnesota. Foundation grants available this fall. President: Denise Specht page 20 Vice President: Bernie Burnham Secretary-Treasurer: Rodney Rowe COVER PHOTO: Cars lined up to rally for a safe Executive Director: Sara Gjerdrum and equitable reopening of school buildings Director of Policy and Public Affairs: Carrie Lucking at the end of July. The rally had educators Communications Director: Kathi Micheletti sharing what they and their students need to feel safe going back to buildings on signs Editor: Kieren Steinhoff and on printed cards given to union leaders. Contributing Authors: Megan Boldt, Sara Ford Cars drove around Education Minnesota Art Director: Eric Widi headquarters and the State Capitol complex. Photo by Doug Dooher, Education Minnesota Public Affairs Specialist. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 1 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Getting ‘back to normal’ isn’t good enough The pandemic has thrown us into rampant in the neighborhoods paying their fair share. a tailspin and tossed our routines our students went home to. If certain politicians for back to school like a garden The systemic racism in policing don’t go along, we salad. More than one educator and health care we’ve seen on can join together and I know has said, sounding the front pages this summer elect new leaders scared and tired, they just want existed long before everyone who reflect the Denise Specht life to go “back to normal.” knew the name of George very best of every Floyd. Full-service community kind of Minnesotan Who can blame them? Some schools were changing and who will deliver the educators know how their lives, but comparatively few policies our families need. districts will start the year; some students had access to them. don’t. Many educators will start So, let’s use this fall to create with distance learning; some And even before most of us had a new normal, where public won’t. Will there be enough ever heard of a coronavirus, there education is a top priority. PPE? How will the buses work? were politicians and powerful There are some people who There’s question after question. corporate interests trying to will say the continued push And no one knows what schools blame and shame communities for full funding is crazy during will look like in November. of color for all the obstacles put a pandemic, but I say it would in their way by an economy that We’re so turned around we’re on be foolish to give up. The new had been rigged for the wealthy. the edge of forgetting something coronavirus is magnifying the important: Normal didn’t work. No, going back to normal issues we’ve seen in our schools isn’t good enough. We can for years so that more people Our districts were under-funded do better, much better. can see them. The polls say and many of us worked in they’re ready for something new. dilapidated buildings. Parents When we get past this crisis, expected us to educate their if we’re serious about making Although many of us may feel children so they could grow up sure every child can pursue like leaves in the wind right and soar, but our profession their dreams regardless of now, we’re not powerless. We was losing too many good what they look like or where can come together for change. people to budget cuts and they’re from, let’s get serious Organized educators have the exhaustion. Students who about doing what works. numbers, the smarts, and the passion to lead Minnesota desperately needed support We all know real learning can’t through the next year - not just services weren’t getting them. happen when kids arrive hungry back to the status quo but into a Our schools were unwelcoming or stressed out about issues at future that’s better for everyone, to many Black, brown and home; so, let’s make sure those both inside and outside our Indigenous students. Too many who need it have healthy meals, schools, with no exceptions. students who needed us the support and trusted counselors. Together, most were falling through Educators can’t give individual the cracks. Many places were attention in packed classrooms; making progress on cutting so, let’s fund schools so the school-to-prison pipeline, small class sizes foster but it wasn’t enough. stronger relationships. Twitter: @DeniseSpecht Our communities weren’t Our schools can’t do any of this thriving equally. Inequities unless the richest 1 percent and by race and ZIP code were the biggest corporations start 2 MINNESOTA EDUCATOR COLLECTIVE VOICE MEA conference will be virtual Where are you reading your Education Minnesota will hold our annual Minnesota Educator? MEA conference virtually this October Congratulations, Jillian Kruger from Waconia, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. for being this issue’s winning submission! The 2020 MEA conference will feature live We love seeing sessions via webinar on Thursday, Oct. 15. all of the places There will also be new relicensure course where you are offerings on Education Minnesota’s online reading your learning platform LearnUpon for members Minnesota to complete at their own pace. Educator! . Details about session offerings are still in Email a photo the works, but educators can look for the to educator@ schedule and registration information on www. edmn.org educationminnesota.org in the coming weeks. or share it Education Minnesota launched LearnUpon this on social summer. Members can access professional media using development to improve their professional #mneducator practice, earn CEU credits for relicensure and of where you are reading your Minnesota build union understanding and power. Educator to be entered into a drawing to win a $50 Target gift card! Courses at MEA and on LearnUpon are always free to active Education Minnesota members. Submissions are due Sept. 11. Happy reading! Getting social! Educators in the news! Educators use social media as a way to connect Education Minnesota members are often with their communities, colleagues and the world. interviewed in their local newspapers or TV We will feature posts from Education Minnesota station. We will feature a quote each issue! members and locals each issue! Make sure to follow Education Minnesota on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube and Pinterest! There were miles of cars holding food, wrapped around our city blocks.