35.044 - Teacher Political Engagement in the Age of Janus and Trump

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

The goal of the session is to bring together scholars involved in various strands of teacher political engagement, including teacher unionism, teacher protests, and teachers seeking elected office. The past two years have seen a flurry of social activism and engagement by and with educators. Of particular note has been the emergence of informal leaders (sometimes with and sometimes separate from unions) around teacher strikes/protest in West Virginia, Oklahoma, and Arizona and elsewhere. There has also been an emergence of large numbers of teachers seeking elected office at the state and federal levels. These efforts have met with some significant levels of success, as shown in increases in teacher pay and electoral accomplishments at the ballot box. Particularly noteworthy is the success seen in “right-to-work” states in which teachers are relatively poorly compensated.

Sub Unit

• Division L - Educational Policies and Politics

Chairs

• Thurston Domina, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Lisa De La Rue, University of San Francisco

Discussants

• Katrina E. Bulkley, Montclair State University

• Morgaen L. Donaldson, University of Connecticut - Storrs

Panelists

• Nina Bascia, University of Toronto - OISE

• Jack Schneider, University of Massachusetts Lowell

• Rebecca Jacobsen, Michigan State University

• Katharine Omenn Strunk, Michigan State University