At Issue
Your 10-step plan to fight privatization
Engaging your members, school board members and the community is critical to success.
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Fighting privatization requires a cohesive 10-step plan that engages members, school board members and the community. Here’s an overview of what you need to do:
1 - The first meeting of threatened employees
Members have a chance to discuss and question what’s happening. A committee should be organized of three to five individuals who can develop and implement a local action plan to fight privatization. Their work will include a campaign calendar, and establishment and oversight of a board watch and a “round table” committee (see explanation below).
2 - Develop a campaign calendar
This tentative calendar of events is created by working backward from the date the board of education is expected to act on the motion to privatize. While tentative, the calendar will help members plan ahead. The plan should be shared with employees and the public. Spread the word that the association plans to tell the community all about the cuts in service that will occur if the board of education votes to privatize.
3 - Establish the board watch committee
Members of this committee attend every public board meeting and obtain copies of important documents including agendas and supporting documents, and minutes from board meetings. Their mission is to determine the position of each board of education member—for or against privatization—and how they may vote on the issue. This is not a time for secrets—the board of education must understand that the association intends to take its fight to the community.
4 - Establish a “round table” committee
This committee will investigate privatization in surrounding districts. What districts have hired privateers? What is the track record of these companies? The goal is to get as much information as possible about each company.
5 - Employee data form
This information will be used in a
comprehensive unified message to take
to the community. Sample forms are
available from MEA to help members
quantify the education and expertise that
support staff employees bring to their
jobs. When completed, the information
collected will clearly illustrate for everyone
that when services are cut, talent is
lost! Local members and the community
will also discover who these employees
really are and what they really do.
6 - Compare our experience with that of the privateer
Information from the data collection
form can be compared with information
outlined in the job specs or bid
documents from the private company.
For example, the threatened category of
employees has more than 246 years of
experience, while the private company
has never worked in a public school setting
before.
7 - The association community contact card
Community outreach is essential to a successful campaign. This two-part form, available from MEA, helps the local association inform local residents about privatization efforts.
8 - Communicating with other school employees
How will privatization affect their work? How will it change their workday? The groups whose jobs are threatened will ask other employee groups for their support and contact information.
9 - Communicating with the local community
After refining the message and developing the most important points, employees whose jobs are threatened may reach out to other community groups, including parent groups and civic organizations. At these meetings, they will explain the cuts in services that will occur if the board privatizes.
10 - Member empowerment
With a plan, a unified message and community outreach under way, members may produce and distribute campaign materials to further spread the word that support personnel are unique and valuable contributors to public education. Support personnel are the foundation of neighborhood schools. This empowers us.