Teachers at the Front Lines: Fighting for Justice

• In Event: Imagine a School: How Researchers Can Support Community-Based Groups’ Visions for Philadelphia Public Schools

Abstract

Objective
The Teacher Action Group (TAG) Philadelphia works to strengthen the influence of educators within schools and over policy decisions. While partnering with parent, student, and community groups, TAG is committed to fostering positive school transformation, environments where students and teachers can thrive, and community ownership and influence within education. This past year TAG's primary campaign was called "Flipping the Script." TAG implemented a yearlong series of events, trainings, and media-focused offerings intended to share the actual experiences of educators in Philadelphia.

Theoretical Framework: Theory of Action
TAG’s theory of action focuses on reframing educators not as "The Problem " of "School Failure" but as the experts on the ground that are dynamic, hardworking, and real agents of transformation.

Data Sources and Methods
TAG relies on action research, using the real lived experiences and expertise of teachers to reframe the education reform agenda in Philadelphia.

Claims: Accomplishments and Challenges
TAG conducted three Media Empowerment Workshops (Philadelphia Writing Project Celebration of Writing and Literacy, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers’ Health and Welfare, and TAG's Education and Liberation Curriculum Fair.) We collaborated with Media Mobilizing Project to train teachers using social media and citizen journalism. We launched the Faces of Layoff Website that received local, regional and national attention and over 80,000 hits in the first week of launching. We are struggling to formalize of membership structure. We have over 1,000 people on our TAG list serve, but only 100 people who formally signed up for our latest membership campaign. We have membership pledge cards. We are also struggling to figure out our relationship with PFT. TAG members consist of PFT and Charter School teachers, university professors and other community allies.

Significance
Because TAG members include university professors as well as teachers working in the Philadelphia School District, this case serves to draw out the opportunities and challenges of university-community partnerships for policy change.

Authors

• Sam Reed, Teacher Action Group

• Kira J. Baker-Doyle, Arcadia University