Virginia Journal of Education: February 2022 by veanea

VIRGINIA JOURNAL of

EDUCATI N The magazine of the Virginia Education Association February 2022

Richmond Leads the Way!

Richmond educators first to break through on contract negotiations.

Editor Tom Allen VEA President Dr. James J. Fedderman VEA Executive Director Dr. Brenda Pike Communications Director Kevin J. Rogers Graphic Designer Lisa Sale Editorial Assistant/Advertising Representative Yolanda Morris, Kate O’Grady Contributors Jessica M. Jones

COVER STORY

Arthur Anderson

Amy Brown Courtney Cutright

Richmond educators first to gain contract negotiation rights!

Vol. 115, No. 4

CO N T E N T S

UPFRONT

The Virginia Journal of Education (ISSN 0270-837X) is published six times a year (October, November, December, February, April and June) by the Virginia Education Association, 116 South Third Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

4-7 This month: Role models, broadband, reading, suspensions, and more.

Non-member annual subscription rate: $10 ($15 outside the U.S. and Canada). Rights to reproduce any article or portion thereof may be granted upon request to the editor. Periodicals postage paid in Richmond, VA.

FEATURES 12 Lighting the Path Career and technical education (CTE) guides numerous young people into successful careers.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Virginia Journal of Education, 116 South Third Street, Richmond, VA 23219.

16 NBCTs are Good for our Students! VEA moving to bolster support for National Board candidates and maintaining NBCTs.

Article proposals, comments or questions may be sent to the editor at tallen@veanea.org or Tom Allen,116 South Third Street, Richmond, VA 23219, 800-552-9554.

18 We Need a Living Wage! Chesapeake’s Arthur Anderson takes a stand for ESPs.

Member: State Education Association Communicators VEA Vision: A great public school for every child in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

DEPARTMENTS 20 Membership Matters Instructional conference a big hit—and a big relief. 24 Insight on Instruction Protecting yourself from the vocal issues that can plague educators. 30 First Person Kids need diverse reading opportunities, not book banning. Cover and above photo by Olivia Geho.

“Remember, there’s a lot of misinformation coming from government entities these days.”

VEA Mission: The mission of the Virginia Education Association is to unite our members and local communities across the Commonwealth in fulfilling the promise of a high quality public education that successfully prepares every single student to realize his or her full potential. We believe this can be accomplished by advocating for students, education professionals, and support professionals.

UP FRONT

Always NEED

“For my report, ‘The Lost Art of Conversation,’ see my tweet or download my PDF.”

Teachers

“If I don’t understand something, I can always ask Ms. Fulson. I can even disagree, as long as I am respectful. Ms. Fulson teaches my brain and my heart. She wants me to be the best I can be.” — A student in the class of Daphne Fulson, Virginia’s 2022 Teacher of the Year

Librarians

“Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.”

3 Questions to Spur Them On One of the primary goals for an educator is helping students become independent, self-directed learners. Asking these three questions as you walk around your classroom, suggested by Michael McDowell, author of Developing Student Expertise, can help move your students in that direction: 1. The Clarity Question: Where do you need to go next in your learning? 2. The Strategy Question: How will you get to the next place in your learning? 3. The Learning Question: How will you know if your actions worked toward your goal?l

— Best-selling author Neil Gaiman

Physical Education

“I always say, ‘If your bum is numb, your brain is the same.’” — Robin Richardson, Kentucky elementary school PE teacher

Arts

“My brain grew 12 sizes thanks to my theater classes, and not only that, they built confidence and muscles in my soul.” — Actor Jack Blackl “I just found out the principal has named me a pupil of interest.”

VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION | FEBRUARY 2022

What’s the Definition of a Top-Notch School? The VEA believes that public education is the underpinning of our democracy and that every child in America deserves a great public school, no matter where they live or what they look like. But what has to come together for those kind of schools to be available to everyone? Research and collaboration with education policy and practice leaders has led the National Education Association to identify seven areas that are essential to student success. They are: • School Readiness: We provide quality programs and services that meet children’s needs so that they come to school every day ready and able to learn. • Standards and Curriculum: We set high expectations and standards with a rigorous and comprehensive curriculum for all students. • Conditions of Teaching and Learning: We provide quality conditions for teaching and lifelong learning. • Workforce Quality: We have have a qualified, caring, diverse, and stable workforce. • Accountability and Assessments: Stakeholders at all levels share responsibility for appropriate school accountability. • Family and Community Engagement: We facilitate parental, family, and community involvement and engagement. • School Funding: We support schools with sufficient, equitable, and sustain able funding.l

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Illustrations by iStock

WHY WE’LL

UP FRONT

Role Models Come in Lots of Models A lot of times guest speakers are from highly educated backgrounds that might feel unattainable to a sizeable chunk of our student body. While exposing students to those kinds of careers is engaging, I think

“If I say 4+4=7, I’m wrong. If you say it, you’re wrong. But if all of us first-graders say 4+4=7, well, now she has to take us seriously.”

it’s also important to bring in people doing

Percent of school districts in the U.S. that have hit the Federal Communications Commission goal of providing broadband services of at least 1 Mbps (megabytes per second) per student.l Source: Connected Nation

jobs that our students can imagine their family members or their neighbors doing,

— Katherine Keefer, a middle school counselor in Pennsylvania

WE NEED A BETTER WAY TO BUILD SCHOOLS, THE STATE HAS A POOL OF MONEY, THE LITERARY FUND, THAT IS SUPPOSEDLY DEDICATED TO PROVIDING LOANS FOR SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. YET THE

Venting About Ventilation

FUND’S PROBLEMS ARE SO PRO-

Indoor air can be up to 5 times

ERN IT SO OUT OF DATE THAT SCHOOL

more polluted than outdoor air,

SYSTEMS ARE NOT USING IT.

according to the Environmental Protection Agency.l

FOUND AND THE RULES THAT GOV-

THE MAXIMUM LOAN AMOUNT THE FUND ALLOWS IS $7.5 MILLION, WHICH WILL ONLY COVER A FRACTION OF THE TYPICAL SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IN 2021. [ESTIMATED] COSTS RANGE FROM $22 MILLION FOR AN ELEMENTARY

Another Key Role Played by Our Schools

SCHOOL TO $77 MILLION FOR A HIGH SCHOOL.

Children and adolescents are more likely to receive needed mental health care

SCHOOL, CRIES OUT FOR REVISION TO THE LAW.l

in their school than in any other setting. Schools often offer a more accessible,

— From an editorial in the Roanoke Times

THE FACT THAT THE FUND’S MINIMUM SIZE AS SPECIFIED BY LAW IS $80 MILLION, BARELY ENOUGH TO PAY FOR A SINGLE HIGH

less stigmatizing setting than traditional community-based mental health settings. Only a fraction of children, adolescents, and families who experience mental health concerns access outpatient care in traditional community mental health settings, and of those who access care, about 40–60 percent drop out of treatment early.l Source: National Center for School Mental Health

“My book report is late because of problems in the supply chain.”

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Percent of school suspensions given to Black students, who make up 22 percent of total enrollment.

“I understand he was left behind on a field trip and has been here ever since.”

Older Kids Need Reading Help, Too Literacy instruction is just as important for middle and high school students as it is for early elementary ones because the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn” is often a difficult one. Older students must write their own text and learn how to communicate in different ways for different audiences. Things just get more difficult. That’s why NEA has helped launch AdLit.org, a multimedia library of free, research-based resources designed to help struggling readers in grades 6-12. It may be just what your students need. Lack of sufficient literacy skills is a big part of why roughly 500,000 students drop out of U.S. schools annually.l

Source: Virginia Department of Education

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Photo and illustrations by iStock

because they can imagine doing them, too.l

COVER STORY

REA members make history, becoming first in more than 40 years to gain school board support for contract negotiations. By Tom Allen

o one really knows who originated the old adage, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Over the years, it’s been attributed to Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill, and others. Maybe it should now be credited to members of the Richmond Education Association, who took it to heart and, through careful planning, blazed a trail for their colleagues to follow. In a historic breakthrough, REA is the first VEA affiliate to convince their school board, under Virginia’s new bargaining law, to pass a resolution paving the way for contract negotiations between school employees and their school division.

Months before the General Assembly even began considering the bargaining law, REA members were mobilizing to make sure negotiations became a reality. They built momentum by circulating information about what a new law might mean for schools, students, and educators, gauging interest among their colleagues, and holding introductory meetings. Educators in Virginia’s capital city began to jump aboard. For Andrea Dungee, a math interventionist and assistant testing coordinator at Oak Grove Elementary School, getting involved in the effort was an intensely personal issue. “Both my parents were educators,” she says, “and I

watched them bring work home every day. They just didn’t have time to complete it during their regular school hours. Often, they were called into meetings or delegated additional duties that prevented them from finishing their tasks during the school day. I know how I felt when I wanted my parents’ attention but couldn’t get it because they had to work or were completely drained from the work they’d done. They could not say, ‘No, I have other tasks to do’ and were expected to take on additional work. I’m a parent now and I don’t want my child to experience me bringing home my work, sacrificing time or being completely drained, but unfortunately it does. I want collective

policies, but there’s been a pervasive fear of reprisal for speaking out about our concerns. This victory will illustrate how educators’ satisfaction with their working conditions holds positive impacts for the students we serve— that’s why we worked so hard to make collective bargaining a reality.” Young-El points out that one of the most easily measurable effects of contract negotiations is improved teacher retention across a school division, something Melvin Hostman, a social studies teacher at Huguenot High School, would welcome. “Teacher retention is a pressing issue here,” says Hostman, who notes that he’s been in his school for four

years and is already considered a veteran teacher. “The main reason for teachers leaving isn’t the kids and it isn’t the parents, it is the lack of autonomy in the classroom and the lack of voice in the district’s decision-making processes. We don’t even have clearly delineated job responsibilities, leaving teachers subject to the whims of administration. Collective bargaining will change this issue. My hope is that it will also help improve teacher retention in Richmond.” Dungee agrees that bargaining would help clarify important issues. “That ‘other duties assigned’ phrase in our contract can be

Photos by Olivia Geho

Richmond Educators Lead the Way!

bargaining so that families can enjoy each other.” As interest built among the city’s educators, led by REA President Katina Harris, Vice President Darrell Turner, and UniServ Director Boaz Young-El, union members crafted long-term campaign plans, complete with a timeline, strategies, and roles and responsibilities. “We knew it would be a marathon, not a sprint,” says Young-El. A core group stepped up and began holding meetings so other members could build the skills they’d need to both win the right to bargain and then do so effectively for students and school employees. Committees began meeting, on topics ranging from communication to event planning to getting the necessary authorization cards signed. REA members made school visits to provide accurate information, reached out to school board members and other leaders, and held rallies. “Collective bargaining is an equalizer when dealing with the issues we face,” says Turner. “For many years, educators here have dealt with poor working conditions, such as crumbling buildings and inconsistent

COVER STORY As important as anything to REA members is the chance negotiations create to be given the long-overdue treatment as professional educators that’s often been missing since public employee collective bargaining was outlawed in Virginia in the 1970s.

“Think about all the hours we put in, all the degrees we have, all the experience we have,” middle school teacher and REA member Paige Ellwanger told the city’s school board during a meeting last fall. “All we’re asking for is a seat at the table so we can all work together.”

Richmond Education Association members and supporters (above and on previous page) rallied, built public support, developed relationships with elected officials and school division leaders, communicated with membership and with the media, and worked tenaciously to gain the right to negotiate their contracts.

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Hostman echoes her sentiments. “Every year the district makes policy decisions that make absolutely no sense to the teachers actually carrying out these policies,” he says. “Richmond education workers have not had a say in the conditions of their employment for over 40 years. Collective bargaining is the best way to begin to change this.” Being at the table is also an opportunity for Richmond educators to share their expertise where it will matter most—in student achievement. Before bargaining was banned in Virginia, locals had used negotiations to strengthen instruction in ways that included creating smaller classes, setting better school calendars, modifying student discipline and safety policies, and bringing in more professionals, such as nurses, counselors, and reading, art, and music teachers. Here’s how a statement from REA put it during the campaign: “Our contract is about more than how much we get paid or the hours that we work— our contract is also about the learning conditions of our students. By building strong relations with students, parents, and community partners, the REA intends to use the collective bargaining process to address long-standing educational needs and social injustices in our city.” Contract negotiations are not a done deal for REA members yet, though, even after the school board’s action. The final steps include getting enough authorization cards signed by school employees to trigger an election to choose a bargaining agent, and then REA must win that election, which should be a formality as it’s the organization that made negotiations possible.l

Allen is editor of the Virginia Journal of Education.

The Negotiations Movement is Spreading! While Richmond educators were the first to break through on bargaining rights, other VEA locals are also hard at work. Here’s a sampling of some of the contract negotiations activity around the commonwealth: CHARLOTTESVILLE EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. The city’s school board has made a public acknowledgement of its support for the bargaining process. At its January meeting, CEA President Jessica Taylor and Superintendent Royal Gurley stood together to ask that the process move forward. Local media reported board member Lashundra Bryson Morsberger telling educators this during the meeting: “You literally keep our children safe right now from both a virus and the threat of gun violence. I think that you’re owed the respect of having a formal voice at the table.” Taylor and UniServ Director Bekah Saxon have been asked to make an informational presentation at the next board meeting and CEA has begun gathering authorization card signatures.

Part of the public message delivered by Charlottesville Education Association members during a recent bargaining rally.

LYNCHBURG EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. LEA has been building momentum for bargaining by making presentations at the city’s school board meetings. LEA President Karl Loos also had a letter to the editor published in December that said, in part, “Through collective bargaining, the decisions that impact the learning of our children are formed by the people that have the most impact on the learning of our children: the experts who are educated, licensed, and professionally trained to handle their unique position within the division. Collective bargaining allows employees to feel empowered and valued. It makes them love their jobs even more.” MONTGOMERY COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. MCEA, which has now had authorization cards signed by a majority of licensed employees, formally submitted a resolution supporting collective bargaining in early January to the county’s school board and asked them to pass it. In his remarks, MCEA President Glen Chilcote told the board, “This is a historic day. Public sector employees have been denied this right for decades…Employees of MCPS now have a unique opportunity to collaborate with you and make our students’ learning conditions the best they can be…There are a few myths about collective bargaining that I would like to dispel. Firstly, many individuals believe that the ability to negotiate one’s contract includes striking. This is false. Striking Montgomery County is illegal in Virginia and something our organization is against. Education Association Secondly, some individuals will say that the costs associated President Glen Chilcote with collective bargaining are astronomical. Once again, this presents a bargaining is false. Collective bargaining requires no extra personnel. resolution to his county’s Collective bargaining is simply the ability to meet with you and school board. your representatives and through our shared vision create an environment where students can succeed to their fullest potential.” PRINCE WILLIAM EDUCATION ASSOCIATION. PWEA members have launched their bargaining effort by collecting signatures on authorization cards from educators at the county’s 94 school buildings. Prince William’s Board of County Supervisors has already voted to begin creating an ordinance to begin contract negotiations with county workers.l

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Photos by Olivia Geho

spelled out,” she says. “This would allow educators to say no. It would help with equality in the work environment by having accountability on every party. I want to help stop teacher burnout which collective bargaining can help assist with.”

quick look at the world we live in reveals high demand and low supply of workers specializing in home health care, physical therapy, nursing, construction, truck driving, web development, and more. What those fields have in common is that they’re born from career and technical education (CTE). Right now, more than ever, we’re in need of people who have developed both their academic and technical skills, with the knowledge and training required to succeed in today’s labor market.

Lighting the path

Career and technical education (CTE) guides numerous young people into successful careers. By Jessica M. Jones

I took classes from elementary through high school in history and social studies, language, mathematics, science, and a variety of electives. My teachers were encouraging, motivating, and clear about their expectations, regardless of the discipline, and each took an interest in me as a person and truly desired to see me grow into a productive citizen. In particular, four of my teachers let me know they thought I should become an Agriculture teacher. I had the background to do it – I grew up on a farm, understand mechanics, and have experience in the science and business of agriculture. My education was focused on providing me the best schooling possible for a future that seemed aimed at a college degree and then some type of career, maybe teaching. I did, in fact, follow that roadmap and graduated from Virginia Tech with a B.S. degree in Agricultural Education. Yes, I was going to be an Ag teacher, but my students and I would not realize the impact of that decision until a little

later in the story. Early in my career, I remember fellow teachers, guidance counselors, administrators, or parents telling their students/children, “You should take CTE classes. They’ll be good for you.” But CTE programs are not designed to be easy to pass or as holding tanks for warm bodies; career and technical education is designed to develop students to be ready to pursue their future in college, career, and life. CTE content areas include Business and Information Technology, Career Connections, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health and Medical Sciences, Marketing, Military Science, Technology Education, Trade and Industrial Education, and my content area, Agricultural Education. As I am a product of career and technical education classes, I understand their great value and importance. Still in CTE, we must fight the idea held by many that we’re a dumping ground for students. In truth, we’re a collective body of diverse disciplines that are the best way for many students, regardless of their background, creed, color, ethnicity, gender, zip code or anything else, to successfully transition into both the working world and adulthood. The Commonwealth of Virginia acknowledges CTE’s importance to the more than 640,000 students enrolled in CTE courses in grades 6-12 through diploma seals awarded by the Board of Education, by recognizing industry credentialing in its diploma requirements, and through the use of Career Pathways as an integral part of the Commonwealth’s Academic and Career Plan. Further, not only do students grow through classroom instruction and a variety of experiential learning opportuni-

ties, they also can expand their knowledge and skills through membership and involvement in their respective Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO). Career and Technical Student Organizations consist of 11 nonprofit organizations authorized by Congress. CTSOs include Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA), Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), National FFA Organization (FFA), Future Health Professionals (HOSA), SkillsUSA, and Technology Student Association (TSA). Through the FFA, the CTSO integrally connected with Agricultural Education, students engage in leadership and career development events and personal growth training. My students, over the years, have taken advantage of these opportunities and, because of their earnest involvement, they have been commended by our school board, board of supervisors, the Virginia General Assembly, and even Congress. To know the future of society is being shaped by my students with their experiences and knowledge is a major driver for why I became an agricultural educator. It’s why I’m especially proud that some of my former students, such as T.J., Cutler, and Clint, are now agricultural educators. Those who are not teachers, like Mary, Nick, and Seth, have successful careers throughout the agricultural industry and other CTE sectors. They see, believe, and have a quest to excel in changing the world for the better through their daily lives. As an example, I’m thinking about a student I spent hundreds of hours with in class who was

VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION | FEBRUARY 2022

Photos and graphics by iStock

FEATURE STORY

STORY TheFEATURE Virginia Public Education CoalitionThe

emphasis in small grains and plant research, in which she placed first in the Virginia FFA Association proficiency award program and earned a bronze national ranking at the 2021 National FFA Convention. I remain in contact with her, and we discuss her studies and life challenges. She’s involved in the Agronomy Club at Virginia Tech and completed a course focused on the agricultural commodities of the Palouse region in Washington State. That class is planning to visit the Palouse region this May to speak to various producers and industry professionals to provide more insight into the area’s agricultural production. Further, she’s has been active in the Virginia Tech Residential College for Leadership and Social Change. This year, she plans on doing a presentation based on students in agriculture and the industry itself to provide a platform for students to learn more about careers in agriculture. Students like Megan, T.J., Cutler, Mary, and numerous others have seen CTE transform their lives, helping them find out who they are

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and become who they didn’t realize they could be. Over the years, my students have been recognized as winners or finalists for several national awards from the National FFA Organization and were once presented with their awards and interviewed for a nationally broadcast show on the RFD-TV network. This award ceremony was a life-changing moment for them. The academic and leadership skills that they learned will lead them to value community responsibility and career success for a lifetime. In my career, I’ve witnessed many students and educators come through the doors of the CTE programs where I have worked. Unfortunately, a few months ago and within 48 hours of each other, I lost two dear friends and by the end of the following month, a third. Each of these individuals, with whom I was brought together by CTE, were unique in their own way. One owned and operated an auto service. He had a gift for mechanics, people, and sports, was a former FFA member and truly

enjoyed talking about his experiences in and out of the organization’s blue and gold jacket. More so, as our school’s lead bus driver, he loved taking us on our competition trips to Blacksburg and other places, often joining in on the preparation and giving the students an extra “Go get ‘em, Trojans!” Students would be so proud to come back to the bus and tell Mr. Billy Stowe how things went. He’d cheerfully sit in the stands during awards ceremonies to show his support of their accomplishments. On the way back to the school, he would encourage them by saying, “See, hard work does pay off when you stay focused on the job.” Mr. Stowe shared his experiences and wisdom while displaying a deep devotion to all by helping them better understand the power of a strong work ethic and positive thinking. The second also was a business owner, operating a garage door service. He, like Mr. Stowe, had a gift for people, detail, and process. Mr. David Bandy was a VEA member who stayed apprised of issues in education, particularly what was going on with his students. As a technology education teacher, he made it a point to develop a genuine relationship with each of his students and tell them, “You’ve got to prepare yourself for tomorrow because today is too late.” He would support student initiatives and encourage every student he met to be better tomorrow than they were today. By visiting “Bandyland,” students learned to follow the process as outlined, but to be able to troubleshoot and problem-solve because the world doesn’t hand you answers—it does, however, expect you to be real with others and especially yourself. The third, too, a business owner, served as a disc jockey in addition to being a full-time agricultural education teacher. Mr. James “Jimmy” Craddock

was a staple in the community, serving in numerous leadership capacities throughout his career, and would unapologetically tell the unvarnished truth. For decades, he nurtured students through his program, taking them to state and national conventions, in addition to preparing them for community service events and whatever was

succeed. In short, career and technical education is important because people are important. The lives we lead do not stop at the ring of the day’s bell, but the bell serves as a signal to take what we have learned throughout the day and put it into practice with a strong work ethic, being real with others and ourselves,

Source: The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce report, “Good Jobs that Pay without a B.A.: A State-by-State Analysis. In it, a good job is defined as one that pays $35,000 ($17 per hour for a full-time job) as the minimum earnings for those under age 45 and $45,000 ($22 per hour for a full-time job) for workers age 45 and older.

needed. Mr. Craddock’s gifts included understanding people, place, and times, and he’d work from sun-up until sundown, tending to the needs of his students and the community. He’d always take the time to ask you how you were and get reconnected, even if he had just talked to you five minutes earlier. He prided himself on knowing every one of his students and their families and giving his students whatever chance he could to help them

and giving everyone a chance to succeed for a lifetime as we seek to be excellent at who we are.l

Jones, EdD and PhD, is the president of the Pittsylvania Education Association, an agriculture education teacher and FFA sponsor at Tunstall High School. She’s also a past president of both the Virginia Association of Agricultural Educators and the Virginia Association for Career and Technical Education.

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also a member and officer in our high school FFA chapter. More than just shy, she often doubted her ability to think well, felt awkward, and didn’t believe what she contributed was of value. However, she found that the more she engaged, the more she enjoyed working with her peers. She learned how to take the lead when needed, but also to remain balanced in a cooperative setting where she made positive contributions to a group while encouraging others to add their thoughts, ideas, and experiences to the process. She did this numerous times as an FFA member when working in officer and chapter meetings and in career and leadership development events, including building and executing our National Chapter Building Communities national chapter finalists presentation delivered at the annual National FFA Convention. In addition, she shined as an individual, competing at the National FFA Convention for Senior Prepared Public Speaking in 2018 and for Employment Skills in 2019, ranking fifth overall in the nation! In 2020, she earned her Virginia FFA State Degree and in 2021, she received her American FFA Degree. The highest degree achievable in the National FFA Organization, the American FFA Degree, shows a member’s dedication to his or her chapter and state FFA association, the effort he or she applied toward their supervised agricultural experience, and outstanding leadership abilities and community involvement. American FFA Degree recipients show promise for the future and have gone above and beyond to achieve excellence. This young lady worked diligently on her Supervised Agricultural Experience project – beef cattle management with an

FEATURE STORY

VEA moving to bolster support for National Board candidates and maintaining NBCTs. By Amy Brown

alk to a National Board Certified Teacher, and they’ll tell you the certification process was one of the most challenging professional tasks they’ve ever faced. They’ll also probably tell you it was the best professional development they’ve ever gotten. “The process is incredibly reflective,” says NBCT and Chesterfield Education Association member Meg Dolle. “It’s designed to make me articulate why I do what I do and to always consider how to improve. The standards used in the National Board process are clearly written by professionals who under-

stand what good teaching is in my discipline, unlike in many other PD experiences I have had. This helped motivate me.” Earning National Board Certification is an imposing challenge, too, adds Dolle, a high school English teacher. “The National Board gives you about 90 pages of description of everything accomplished teachers in your discipline should be doing,” she says, “and you have to show evidence that you do those things consistently, all in three writing assignments and within a strict page limit.” The payoff isn’t just in profes-

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How We’re Advocating Awareness. We’re creating and delivering content to inform educators, parents, school division leaders, legislators and others about the National Board Certification process and its benefits for students and teachers. Local support. We’re advocating for local school divisions to support National Board Certification by offering incentives and support that acknowledge the benefit NBCTs bring to their students. These may include financial incentives and support as well as professional leave, points toward recertification,

and in-division cohort support, all of which can make working in that school division more attractive to accomplished educators. State support. We’re alerting Virginia’s legislators who review and revise the existing stipend to not only increase the amount paid to NBCTs per year of their certificate, but also to seek ways this money can be restructured to affect educators’ retirement funds, as well as annual pay. Additionally, we believe NBCTs who remain in education but move out of the classroom to leadership roles should not be forced to lose their stipend as they do under the current provision. How We’re Supporting Certification Candidates Jump Start. A virtual pilot of Jump Start was offered this fall, and next June, Jump Start will return in-person! This popular NEA program provides candidates with an intensive workshop experience in which experienced NBCT facilitators guide them through unpacking their certificate standards, component instructions, and foundations of the process. Participants leave Jump Start organized and prepared to begin their certification process with clear direction and confidence. Professional Learning Facilitator support. VEA members and NBCTs are being trained to be PLFs that may serve as readers, one-onone mentors, or cohort leaders to support candidates pursuing their initial certification or seeking to maintain their current certificate. Online and in-person support. We’ll be using available technology to

offer a choice of independent or guided learning paths to support members through the certification process. Additionally, we’re putting together workshops focusing on specific components of the certification process.

will help develop high-quality teachers using the foundational elements of the National Board Certification process as a basis for reflecting on current teaching practice and planning ways to improve it.

Growing Quality Teachers

Brown, an NBCT and York Education Association member, is a Teaching Fellow in VEA Teaching & Learning, focusing her work on National Board Certification.l

In the coming year, we’re going to connect our Aspiring Educators and Early Career Educators with NBCT mentors. Those mentors

Why Should You Consider National Board Certification? You’ll have a direct impact on your students. A decade of research supports the impact that Board-certified teachers have on students. Students of Board-certified teachers learn more than their peers without Board-certified teachers. Studies have also found that the positive impact of having a Boardcertified teacher is even greater for minority and low-income students. You’ll get professional development that will stay with you. A national survey of effective teachers’ views on PD found 96% of respondents shared that National Board Certification was among the top three most impactful PD experiences for advancing their practice. The process is teacher created and driven. Too often, professional development opportunities are not shaped by the wisdom and expertise of practicing educators. That is not the case with National Board Certification. The National Board Standards and the 5 Core Propositions are developed by committees of educators who are broadly representative of professionals in their field. It will change the way you teach. A huge majority (91 percent) of teachers engaging with the National Board standards reported that it had a direct impact on their instructional practices. These shifts include adjusting lesson plans and to meet the needs of individual students, using data in new ways to assess student progress and learning goals, deepening their content knowledge. National Board Certification is available in 25 certificate areas representing 16 different disciplines and four developmental levels and is applicable to most teachers in U.S. public schools. To learn more about the National Board Certification Process, visit the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards website at www.nbpts.org or contact Amy Brown in VEA Teaching and Learning at akbrown@veanea.org.l

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Photo by iStock

NBCTs are Good for our Students!

sional accomplishment, though: Several studies have documented that certification is not only transformative for NBCTs but also for their students, who show learning gains exceeding those of their peers taught by non-NBCTs. That’s why we need more National Board certified teachers. Right now, only about 3 percent of Virginia’s teachers have earned NBCT status, and more than 40 percent of them are in just five of our 133 school divisions. While this is certainly great for students in those communities, more NBCTs would just as certainly be a boost to both teaching and learning throughout our state. To help make this happen, VEA is developing supports for our members pursuing certification and for current NBCTs working to maintain their certificates. We are also excited to engage NBCTs in this work as they share their expertise with others. Here are some ways we can help:

FEATURE STORY

We Need a Living Wage! Chesapeake’s Arthur Anderson takes a public stand for ESPs.

make some progress with that we say, “Thank you!” However, we have sacrificed for so many years as support staff. We have done it with pride and dedication. Yet we have not been able to take care of ourselves or our families. We have not been able to pursue educational goals and opportunities. Many of us have goals to become classroom teachers but have had to postpone those dreams and goals just to put food on the table. I have been with this school system, as I mentioned, for 30 years. But I still don’t make $30,000. Many of us qualify for food stamps and rental and public assistance. Many of us work two or three jobs just to make ends meet, sometimes working part-time as custodians or driving school buses. We do this despite the fact that we are highly qualified. Many of us are college educated. That is who we are as ESPs. Here are some of what else we do as ESPs: Many of us cover classes for

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only $6 extra an hour or work daily in our schools’ main offices, train co-workers, or work part-time as school custodians or bus drivers. Many of us are also working extra part-time jobs every day. We are overworked and underpaid. We need your help now! We are essential and we need fully-funded Standards of Quality positions that provide a living wage. We don’t need extra jobs or extra pay—we need a living wage! I am that teaching assistant who drives the bus for extra pay! I need a living wage! I am that teaching assistant who works in the main office who trained our building’s lead secretary, with no extra pay. We need help to get our teaching degrees! I need a living wage! I am that teaching assistant who does school security every day with no extra pay!

I am that cafeteria worker who works every day despite being short of food supplies for students. I will burn out quickly at this rate! I need a living wage! I am that bus driver who is doing extra runs every day to pick up children from different schools! I need a living wage! I am that computer tech person who’s been working non-stop for two years to fix everybody’s computer problems! I need a living wage! I am that school nurse working so hard to keep everyone safe and healthy, dealing with everything from headaches to COVID! I need a living wage!

I am that custodian keeps the building clean and sanitizes extra rooms with no extra pay, when we are shortstaffed every day!

I am that school security staff who’s short of help but must keep students and staff safe in our hallways. Students are needing to be picked up, others are having behavior problems. I don’t know what to do!

I need a living wage!

I need a living wage!l

I need a living wage!

‘Not Everybody Can Do this Work’ Some thoughts on the essential work of education support professionals from Kimberly Scott-Hayden, an inventory control clerk in New Jersey and NEA’s 2022 ESP of the Year: As an ESP, I have learned my value to my school community. We can—and do—have a great impact on students, both through our job responsibilities and through the simplest acts of caring about them. My passion is helping other support staff recognize their talents and contributions. We need to tell our stories about how we impact our students. We are professionals in a helping profession. Together we can continue to do incredible things to ensure the best public schools across the nation, for every student regardless of race or zip code. We are part of the public education system that helps to build their success. I don’t do this work for recognition. I’m one of the behind-the-scenes people. I’m focused on how we will help our students and our members. Not everybody can do this work.l

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Graphic by iStock

hesapeake Education Association Vice President Arthur Anderson, a special education teaching assistant at Oscar Smith High School, recently spoke to his city’s school board on behalf of his fellow education support professionals. Here’s some of what he had to say about the economic challenges ESPs face, despite their essential contributions to public education: I am an educational support professional, and I am a voice for myself and all the ESPs of Chesapeake. Arthur Anderson I love what I do, and I love my school. I’ve been here for 30 years. I love my principal—he’s a man of integrity who’s given me the opportunity to start a mentoring program at our school, to work our football games, to help young people. When we last talked, I told you how our support staff needs extra pay. For all that you have done to

Members Relished Learning, Being Together in Person at Instructional Conference

here were videos, discussions, meals, lots of learning, and a broad array of topics—but mostly, at VEA’s 2021 Instruction and Professional Development Conference, there were sighs of relief about being able to meet in person. “I’d been craving human interaction,” says Helen Pryor, president of the Education Association of Norfolk. “I was tired of seeing people in a box—I want out of Zoom world! It’s good to feel part of a team again.” The two-day event was held in Richmond and kicked Face to face. Educators came together in person at VEA’s Instruction and Professional Development Conference in November, the first such gathering in a year, and were delighted with the opportunity to compare notes on how they were off with a spirited panel coping, teaching, and learning during a pandemic. discussion featuring Holly Coy and Joan Johnson, assistant superintendents at the Virginia Departof breakout sessions with topics calling on educators to carefully ment of Education, and VEA President including micro-credentials, examine their practices and the James Fedderman, covering everything emotional health for both thinking behind using them, from teacher recruitment and licensure students and educators, including in their grading, relationto burnout and Praxis tests. trauma-informed teaching, ship-building, authenticity for Other conference highlights teacher evaluation, legal educators and students, assessment, Include: issues, collective bargaining as a and curriculum. • Daphne Tamara Fulson of the tool for improving professional • During a “Member Moments” Chesapeake Education Association, practice, project-based learning, segment, Bailey Collie of the Virginia’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, equity, and more. Montgomery County Education and a second grade teacher, gave • The statewide winners of VEA Association shared how being at the a high-energy presentation. “When Mini-Grants were announced. IPD conference in 2019 dramatically one of my kiddos finds something in changed her outlook on teaching, their experience that they can make Pryor is glad for the networking leading to the launching of her a real-life connection to what opportunities at the conference YouTube channel about dealing with we’re doing in our classroom—and and what they will mean when she trauma in the lives of her students. then feels comfortable enough to returns to Norfolk. “One of the great “I wouldn’t be the person I am today talk about it, I live for those things about being part of a stateif I hadn’t been at that conference,” moments!” she told attendees. wide organization,” she says, “is she said. seeing what’s working in other • Eric Carbaugh of James Madison districts.”l • Members chose from a menu University was the keynote speaker,

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VEA Members Will Choose Leadership In this year’s VEA statewide elections, James Fedderman and Christina Bohringer are running unopposed for second terms as, respectively, President and NEA Director. The office of Vice President will be contested by incumbent Carol Bauer and challenger Kimberly Adams. Voting will take place at VEA’s annual convention this spring. Here are statements from each candidate:

VEA President

James Fedderman Accomack Education Association

In a best case scenario, every child would enter school with the readiness skills to work at or above grade level and arrive at the bus stop on time. Ideally, no students would be hungry, educators would practice self-care and stay healthy, and teachers would not have to cover classes for their colleagues or work multiple jobs to make ends meet. Unfortunately, this best case scenario is not the clear and present reality for students or educators. These issues existed prior to COVID-19, and many of these cognitive measures do not quantify the barriers that educators and educational support personnel experience on a day-to-day basis. As your VEA President, I want to be your unapologetic voice for two more years to find viable and feasible solutions to our collective problems.

VEA Vice President Kimberly Adams Fairfax Education Association I have been a member of the VEA since the beginning of my career and have been active with our Union for nearly 20 years. I have served as an association representative, board member, and president in my local. This union has helped me develop the skills to lead the VEA alongside our President. I take on this challenge with both passion and experience. As your VOICE and ADVOCATE, I will work with members to share the tools for success in our Union. Students’ learning conditions are our working conditions. We must use our VOICE in developing local education policy while we ADVOCATE for state legislation that improves public schools for everyone’s future. You have my commitment that I will use my VOICE - Never slow down and Never give up - to ADVOCATE for the success of public education in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Learn more: www.kimberly4vea.org.

Carol Bauer York Education Association As a VEA leader, I have gained recognition as a passionate and energetic educator who engages and supports our members across Virginia. I am committed to raising my voice for equity for students, members, and our Union. As Vice President, I have stepped forward fighting for social justice in our classrooms at School Board meetings and in the General Assembly. COVID has changed our schools, but it has strengthened my resolve to champion all education workers and advocate for public education. With your support, I will continue to use my vast experiences at the local, state, and national levels to serve VEA members and promote our profession. We will face challenges, but in solidarity we will overcome them. I will support collective bargaining efforts and racial and social justice. I am Carol Bauer, NBCT, and I ask for your support and together we will Stand Up 4 Public Education!

Member, NEA Board of Directors Christina Bohringer Education Association of Alexandria I am honored to continue representing you as your NEA Director. I am currently a National Board Certified Teacher, teaching 1st grade, and share the frustrations we all felt during the pandemic. However, I am excited to use our experiences to advocate for every educator and student. This year’s campaign trail was a little more “square” than my adventures across the commonwealth in Fall 2018. However, I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had to visit with members across the state as I joined your local Zoom meetings, attended our in-person IPD Conference, and others on social media. Your dedication, perseverance, and passion for our students always inspire me. I remain steadfast in my resolve to use my platform to speak for voting rights, against gun violence, and to promote racial and social justice. I am ready to continue the fight! Thank you again for entrusting me to serve you.l

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Photos page 20 by Lisa Sale

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS

Stewart Joins VEA Staff; Riddle Promoted Chad Stewart is VEA’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Coordinator, a new position funded through a grant from NEA to enable VEA to analyze and optimize ARPA funds allocated to Virginia schools. He comes to VEA from The Commonwealth Institute, where he was the Manager of Education Policy and Development. He also has classroom experience as a math, science, and social studies teacher in Virginia and Michigan. Shane Riddle is now VEA’s Director of Government Relations and Research, a position he’s been serving in as Interim Director for most of 2021 after joining the Association as a Policy Analyst at the beginning of the year. Riddle came to Virginia after stints with the Louisiana Association of Educators, Texas State Teachers Association, and the Kentucky Education Association.l

NEA Wants to Fund Learning and Adventure for You and Your Students The NEA Foundation is offering educators several ways—three grants and one fellowship—to expand their horizons and those of their students. To learn more about the Envision Equity, Student Success, and Learning and Leadership Grants, visit the Foundation’s website at neafoundation.org/for-educators. For an international learning experience opportunity, check out the Global Learning Fellowship at neafoundation.org/for-educators/global-learningfellowship. The application deadline for the fellowship and Winter 2022 grant round is Tuesday, March 1.l

VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION | FEBRUARY 2022

KUD

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Stafford’s Utt Honored by Kappa Delta Pi

What Our Legislators Need to Know By Dr. James J. Fedderman

What your paycheck looks like, what our students study (and how many are in your class), the qualifications and training you’re expected to have and to get—all this, and lots more about public education and educators, are decided by our elected officials. And those officials are now in Richmond for the 2022 session of Virginia’s General Assembly. That’s why your Delegates and Senators need to hear from you throughout this session. You’re the experts, the ones who know what our students and schools need. Here’s some of what they need to know from you: They need to know how important it is to fund Virginia’s Standards of Quality, including removing the cap on support positions. The support cap was put in place during the hard times of the Great Recession a decade ago and our students have suffered the effects since. We need more support professionals, including psychologists, nurses, and food service personnel, in our schools. After all, the SOQs are only the minimum requirements schools and school divisions must meet. Our legislators have consistently failed to fund them fully. That must change. They need to know that our educators remain terribly underpaid. The General Assembly now has a stated goal of paying our teachers at least the national average salary of their peers. We’re still well behind. Outgoing Governor Northam

proposed a 5 percent raise for teachers in each year of the new two-year budget and Governor Youngkin has vowed to raise teacher salaries significantly. We must make this happen, quickly. We also need our ESPs to be paid a living wage. They need to know how important it is to protect collective bargaining for educators. After a 40-year battle, Virginia’s public school employees now have the right to negotiate their contracts with their school divisions. This is a huge step forward for students, educators, and communities and must be protected and solidified. They need to know that programs that drain public school budgets, such as vouchers, are a very bad idea. We will vigorously oppose any efforts to spend public funds on private schools, whether those efforts are called vouchers, school choice, or anything else. These programs hurt kids, schools, and communities. They also need to know that we’ll fight for the health and safety of students and educators as pandemic risks continue, for fewer standardized tests, and for our most at-risk students. They need to hear from us. All of us. Learn how you can help at vea.link/ letthemknow.l

Jeremy Utt, a Stafford Education Association member and a math teacher at T. Benton Gayle Middle School, has received a Master Teacher of Honor Award from Kappa Delta Pi, the international honor society in education. He has more than 15 years of classroom experience, is a National Board Certified Teacher, and serves on the county’s Gifted Advisory Committee. In addition, he’s a volunteer tutor for at-risk students through Stafford Junction, a local nonprofit organization. James Amaral, a VEA-Retired member and longtime Prince William Education Association leader, received the National External Diploma Program Council (NEDPC) Lifetime Achievement Award at its 2021 national conference. Amaral is an adult education program instructor in Prince William and NEDPC is the national professional organization for certified advisors/assessors for the NEDP. Charlottesville Education Association member Pam Brown is one of only 10 recipients of the nationwide Ford Unsung Heroes of COVID award, which was given to Black educators who pushed through the pandemic with positivity. She teaches special education at Charlottesville High School. Two members of the Shenandoah County Education Association earned 2021 grants from the Moore Trust, which funds classroom projects and enrichment programs. Jacqueline Weitman, a librarian at Signal Knob BLANK School, received two grants, one to update the library’s nonfiction section and provide learning stations, and one for updated seating, virtual databases, and a high quality poster printer. Meredith Zirkle, a science teacher at Stonewall Jackson High School, received a grant to fund MERGE cubes, which provide multi-sensory instruction and spatial engagement.l

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INSIGHT ON INSTRUCTION

Music is a Gift that Keeps on Giving “Supporting music learning is giving kids a gift for the rest of their lives. Even when they are older, their brain health will be stronger because of what they did when they were nine. Music learning is, by its very nature, a way of increasing attention a little bit at a time. If we think about attention span as a muscle, we are strengthening that muscle every time we practice music. We learn one line, then we add a little bit more. One bar, then two bars, then the whole page.”l

How to protect yourself from the vocal issues that can plague educators.

Photo, photo illustration and Illustration by iStock

rom speaking over noisy classrooms and buses to calling in students from recess, educators’ vocal cords are under a lot of stress. It can be high-risk work: On average, teachers are more than twice as likely as non-teachers to suffer from vocal problems. That’s not shocking, given how much time educators spend talking and how they often must project their voices in large, chatty classrooms. Because the teaching profession is made up mostly of women, educators can also be especially vulnerable: Females ages 40 to 55, according to researchers, are at highest risk. Women tend to have smaller larynxes, or voice boxes, and their vocal cords vibrate more quickly. In addition, female vocal cords are shorter and thinner than those of males. And the more classroom experience, the less protection against years of accumulated strain. You don’t have to go home hoarse, though. Here’s some advice from NEA on how you can prevent issues or soothe symptoms in your vocal pipes:

Give ‘em a break (your vocal cords, that is). Take rest periods during the day to give your voice a breather. Give students a quiet seat assignment or ask them to do presentations so you aren’t the one talking. Try to facilitate discussions rather than leading them, which

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is good practice anyway. If you can get a break during lunch, enforce a “no talking” rule while you eat. Raise your signals, not your voice. Students get noisy and a little rambunctious and suddenly it’s classroom chaos. It’s easy to lose your patience and yell. Instead, try doing the opposite—stop talking and remain silent until the class settles down. Clap your hands or turn off the lights as a way to get their attention. In other words, use non-vocal signals. Sip your way through the day. Drink lots of water! Keep a water bottle handy and keep taking sips even as you move about the classroom. Vocal folds need a thin layer of mucus to vibrate, but they can dry out in environments like a typical school building. And as your vocal cords dry out, it requires more effort to talk and project, exacerbating your voice problems. Tame the background. Background noise is not only harmful to educator voices, it interferes with students’ ability to hear and understand what’s being said. If your classroom has a loud ventilation system, ask about ways to make it quieter. If there’s hallway noise, keep your door closed. Learn about classroom acoustics and how to improve yours, and then advocate for a better teaching and learning environment.l

Even if it seemed to go perfectly, using educational technology for the first time in your classroom can be an intimidating experience. Some of the best support you’ll find comes from technology resource professionals and fellow teachers who are further along in technology use than you are. Here are a few helpful tips from EdTech experts, passed on by the California Teachers Association: Speed is not the goal. Don’t try to do everything at once. The amount of educational technology on the market is overwhelming. Focus on learning a specific app or tool and how to integrate it across content. Implementation is everything. Neither is quantity. It’s easy to want to try the newest app or implement new gadgetry in the classroom after reading about it. Don’t get caught up with being a first-adopter. Sharpen skills and integration on one or two new things at a time and do them well. It’s not the bells and whistles—it’s the learning. All technology needs to be content-driven. Focus on educational goals and how the tech tool will help reach them. Choose carefully. Not every tech tool has enough benefits to merit space and time in your classroom. Take time to learn the value-added of new technology and potential drawbacks. Cyberspace can help. Resources abound on what educators are doing with technology, which can help inspire new approaches. Follow EdTech coaches on social media, identify blogs and podcasts that provide useful information, and join online forums to discuss new tools and techniques or tips on integrating technology. Stick your neck out. It’s scary to not be the expert when in front of the classroom, but EdTech offers opportunities for learning moments for educators. Show students how to react to setbacks, and don’t be afraid to let them be the teacher when it comes to tech.l

—Anita Collins, music educator and author, The Music Advantage: How Music Helps Your Child Develop, Learn, and Thrive.

Getting Your Learning into the Stratosphere Want a boost in getting you and your students airborne? The Virginia Space Grant Consortium will sponsor one Virginia teacher in grades 5-12 for some amazing professional development this summer in Houston, Texas. Participants will hear presentations by scientists and engineers, get tours of NASA and the Space Center, come home with hands-on, inquiry-based classroom activities aligned to educational standards, and more. To learn more and to apply, visit www.tsgc.utexas.edu/liftoff. Applications are due March 7, 2022.l

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Photo and illustration by iStock

Clearing Your Throat

EdTech: Gizmos Can be Great, But Proceed with Patience

INSIGHT ON INSTRUCTION

Bringing Students Together in a Time of Division There’s no doubt that the current state of political polarization in our country seeps into our classrooms. How can we discuss current events in school without making conflict worse and help a younger generation overcome polarization? Here’s some advice, from the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s EdCast podcast, in an episode called “Teaching Across a Political Divide”:

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Resources, Resources, Resources!

Special Education

Elementary Education PreK-6

Middle Education Grades 6-8

Mathematics Grades 6-12 (including Algebra 1)

Career and Technical Education

Science (Secondary)

Foreign Language PreK-12

ing up in a polarized climate and that the

English (Secondary)

United States hasn’t always been like this.

Library Media PreK-12

Start with three simple goals: underTeach young people that they are grow-

Cover “democracy” as a work in progress rather than a check mark in your classroom.

•

The 2020-2021 10 critical shortage teaching endorsement areas in Virginia are: 1.

stand, reflect, and connect. •

From VEA Teaching and Learning

Think about activities in the classroom that do not exacerbate polarization by making students feel a need to defend but instead focus on collectively thinking through a problem.l

Looking for a bank of resources to enhance your teaching? You may need to look no further than Amazing Educational Resources. It’s a nonprofit that was designed for teachers to use as a free way to share resources—now it’s become a hub for a wide range of subjects and materials. You don’t even have to register to use it, and you can upload and suggest resources. There’s also a Facebook group to help you connect with colleagues. Find it here: amazingeducationalresources.com For assistance with this tip or any other aspect of professional learning, feel free to reach out to VEA Teaching and Learning at dhamilton@veanea.org.l

Want to Share What You’ve Learned with Your Colleagues? VEA Teaching and Learning is looking for members to help create content for webinars, trainings, independent study sessions, and more. We’re working on topics including trauma and resilience, culturally responsive teaching and equity, blended learning, digital pedagogy, differentiation/reteaching/intervention, mindfulness, social/emotional support for adults, and social/emotional support for students. If you’re interested in helping create content, please scan the QR code or use this link (which is case sensitive): vea.link/ContentDev.l

The Future is Electric The National Energy Foundation is offering free, STEM-based materials for K-6 students to help them understand the benefits of electric vehicles. Teachers can get classroom and student posters, access to lesson plans, games and other online materials. To learn more, visit pas.nef1.org/registration/215.l

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10. History and Social Science (Secondary)l Source: Virginia Department of Education

Why Did it Take a Pandemic to Get Our Attention? While there is no doubt that the pandemic posed unprecedented challenges for students and educators, it also inspired a long overdue reckoning. It should not have taken a global pandemic for the education system to address the inequities that overwhelmingly disadvantage communities of color, low-income communities, non-English speakers and students with disabilities. Issues of access and curriculums that fail to engage students of diverse experiences burdened our students long before the pandemic.l

Photo and illustration by iStock

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Virginia’s 10 Most Wanted

— Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code, an international nonprofit organization working to close the gender gap in technology.

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FIRST PERSON: NARRATIVES FROM THE CLASSROOM

Kids Need Diverse Reading Opportunities, Not Book Banning

Photo by iStock

— Courtney Cutright

When a Spotsylvania County School Board member said he wanted library books removed and thrown into a fire, I had a flash of Guy Montag from Fahrenheit 451. I pinched myself to make sure I wasn’t having a nightmare. The (Fredericksburg) Free Lance-Star in November reported that a Spotsy parent was alarmed by the availability of LGBTQ e-books on the school’s library app, and she specifically cited a title that centers on a gay relationship and accused the school board of exposing her child to pornography. The school board decided unanimously to pull all “sexually explicit” books for review but rescinded the decision one week later amid community backlash and negative national attention. Book challenges like this are not new, but there’s been an uptick across the nation after some candidates made “parental rights” in education a big part of their campaigns. As Fahrenheit author Ray Bradbury aptly stated, “There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running around with lit matches.” I was not surprised to find that seven of the top 10 most challenged books of 2019 made the American Library Association list because of LGBTQ content. The number one most challenged book for two consecutive years is George by Alex Gino. George, which is being retitled Melissa to reflect the identity of the protagonist, a fourth-grade transgender girl, is a middle-grades book. As an English Language Arts classroom teacher, I strive to provide texts featuring diverse characters because creating an inclusive space regardless of anyone’s gender, sexuality, race, or ethnicity is important to me. Giving access to books containing characters with whom students can relate is a surefire way to promote reading for pleasure. Engaging reluctant readers is a tall order in a culture inundated VIRGINIA JOURNAL OF EDUCATION | FEBRUARY 2022

by social media and a task which should not be made more difficult by excluding texts that represent our students. Based on research conducted by The Trevor Project, LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to consider and attempt suicide than their peers. You know who may be less likely to attempt suicide? Students who are connected to a support network of friends, family, or other dependable adults. The focus of our school libraries should be acceptance—not exclusion. A dozen years ago in my past professional life, I wrote a newspaper article about a parent who wanted to remove The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky from a school in the division in which I now work. I interviewed the complaining father, who felt something was amiss because reading was atypical behavior for his high school-age son. (I think the parent should be more alarmed by the lack of literary interest in his teenager’s life.) The Chbosky title was one of the most frequently challenged books in 2009, according to the ALA. The student was reading a copy borrowed from a teacher, but library copies were taken out of circulation while the title was under review. Ultimately, the books were reshelved and made available for checkout. A lengthy Roanoke County School Board policy specifies the process when a book is challenged, including the selection of a three-librarian review committee and, if needed, a three-citizen appeal panel. The policy prevents willy-nilly book banning, and its primary objective is “to provide materials that will enrich and support the curriculum, taking into consideration the varied interests, abilities, and maturity levels of the pupils served.” The policy looks solid on paper, but I am concerned whether it will hold given today’s political climate. Schools may be the only place for many students to access diverse books, and to take that access away is a grave regression. National Ambassador of Young People’s Literature (and one of my favorite middle grades authors) Jason Reynolds nailed it in a December interview on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.” “You can’t take for granted that there may not be a library or a bookstore in everybody’s community or that there may not be a 20-dollar bill to go and buy the books that they no longer have access to because of these bannings,” Reynolds said. Our inherent responsibility as public-school educators is to expose students to a variety of literature in order to inspire the readers and writers of the future. We owe it to our youth to snuff out those lit matches and to fight back against censorship.l Cutright (courtcut@gmail.com), a member of the Roanoke County Education Association, teaches English at Northside Middle School.

A publication of the Virginia Education Association 116 South Third Street, Richmond VA 23219 veanea.org

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