The Results Are In
I want to extend congratulations to Janan Apaydin on being reelected to seat #9 on the OEA Executive Board. I was gratified to receive the support of so many teachers, nurses, and psychologists. I look forward to having other opportunities to serve my colleagues in the future.
My platform and agenda as your representative on the OEA Executive Board will be to serve as a progressive organizer, a representative who will help bring about the kind of change in Oakland Unified School District that will benefit every member of this community.
I believe that OEA has a major role to play in shaping the policies that will drive improvement in our schools and classrooms. Improvement that is measured in student achievement and in the retention of strong capable teachers. OUSD cannot close the achievement gap in Oakland without a professional, empowered teaching force. I will work with you to identify ways to meet your needs in the classroom so that you can meet the needs of the children we serve.
We need to modernize to energize.
Our current methods for communication within the union are dated. Distributing paper flyers to every school site and hoping that every member gets a copy is both costly and ineffective. Wielding the power of our union is only possible if we can effectively communicate and motivate members to take immediate and decisive action when necessary. Effective communication requires organization, vision, and a well defined system and tools. As an executive board member I will work to develop such a system and build our organizational capacity for timely, effective communication.
If you elect me, I will work to shape our union's voice around the kinds of policies that OEA Members will help develop. We will use our collective voice and our organized power to lead our district to make a contract with our union that reflects our mutual commitment to student success and the district's stated commitment to provide us with the kind of livelihood that is commensurate with the professionalism that is reflected in the teachers who make up the Oakland Education Association. Let's get organized.
OEA Elections are April 30 to May 4. Ask your site rep for a ballot. (If you need help acquiring a ballot, send me a message: mark@hurty.net)
The strength of any union is measured by the number of members who actively participate in meetings and vote on initiatives. As we prepare to negotiate with district administration, our goal should be to engage as many members as possible. My personal goal is to reach out to members who have felt left out of the organizing process in the past. We know that the district will be more responsive to our agenda when they are aware that we have a fully engaged membership. That kind of participation only happens when the union leadership is intentionally focused on bringing as many members as possible into conversation. We also need to engage the community: parents, students, and concerned citizens. These constituencies are crucial to building the coalition that will foster a rebirth of dynamic public education in Oakland.
I've created an email list to stay in touch with all of you during the next couple of weeks during the election, but also to stay in touch after the election to make sure that we can maintain a dialogue which will lead to greater participation in our organizing efforts over the next couple of years. Please take a minute to join the list at http://hurty.com/OEA.
If you can only do one thing today, please share a link to this site (http://hurty.net) with as many Oakland teachers as you know. Let's organize together.
Thanks for your support!
A New Voice for OEA
"Mark has the ability to enter any conversation with an open mind and seek results that are people-oriented: good for students, good for employees, and good for communities."
— Megan Calpin, Montera Middle School.
A Progressive Coalition
I'm supporting a coalition of progressive candidates for the Executive board. The four of us are committed to collaborating with a broad constituency of OEA members. Our goal is to build an inclusive coalition of professional educators joined in solidarity to lead a revitalization of public education in Oakland.
Downloadable Flyers
Election Timeline
Ballots will be distributed on or around April 30 and must be returned to the OEA office by close of business on Friday, May 3. Ask your site rep for a ballot. Need help? Contact Mark@Hurty.net
Newsletter
Follow me on Twitter
