Rising Up to Lead: A Teacher's Path From the Classroom to City Hall

• In Event: Latinx Experiences in U.S. Schools: Students, Teachers, Teacher Educators, and Education Allies as Collaborators

Abstract

Objectives/Purposes
Growing scholarship has recognized becoming a teacher-leader as a means for taking a stance that can be identified and reproduced (Carver, 2016; Poekert et al., 2016; Smulyan, 2016). For this reason, we present a counter-story to highlight the narrative of a Latinx teacher-leader (“Suzanna”) who was elected to serve as a city councilwoman in her community. In these roles she navigated educational, political, and societal systems to foster greater collaboration between key stakeholders in and outside the classroom. In this presentation we also highlight how Suzanna’s activism has led her to advocate for positive change in her community.
Theoretical Framework
We utilize LatCrit in the field of education and more specifically with a focus on Latinx teacher-leaders and their students, as their communities have been singled out through the current divisive political rhetoric (Pérez Huber, 2010; Solórzano & Delgado Bernal, 2001).
Methods and Data Sources
Testimonios are utilized to recognize and conserve cultural community knowledge that exists in collective memory. Such knowledge can serve as a resource against racism, classism, nativism, and other forms of oppression that have affected communities of color (Love, 2004; Perez-Huber, 2009, Yosso, 2006). Specifically, we utilize the testimonio of a teacher-leader and political activist. This testimonio was collected during two 90-minute interviews with Suzanna, conducted by the first author. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed for later analysis.
Results
Thematic analysis of the testimonio revealed two themes. Optimism is Key focused on the imperative to stay positive in this political climate by seeing it as an opportunity for growth, change, and community building:
I's a scary time. But there's a lot of room for inspiration and hope and change and activism. And we're getting united and motivated in ways that we haven't since the civil rights era. By collaborating with key stakeholders at the local, state and federal levels, it's also an opportunity that we haven't had in a long time to do right, to inspire, to make effective change.
I Won’t be Bullied focused on her determination to confront anti-immigrant voices by running for political office. She recounted how her decision has had negative implications for her teaching position and her family’s interactions in the community.
I was at a city council meeting about my city becoming a sanctuary city. My son and I spoke in support of it, I from a community member standpoint and my son from a student’s perspective. We were booed and yelled at by other community members and dismissed by the politicians. I made the decision at that point, I will not be bullied. I need to do something about this.
Significance
As a teacher leader for many years and now as an elected official, Suzanna feels empowered to advocate for policies that have a positive impact the city’s residents, which include her students. Her experiences provide valuable lessons for both teachers who want to rise up to run for political office and for those holding political office to support our nation’s teachers.

Authors

• Laura M Gomez, ASU

• Ruth Luevanos, Los Angeles Unified School District