How to Get Involved in Education Organizing
Last updated September 30, 2020
COVID is very likely to have a profound educational and economic impact through the 2020/21 school year. We’ve read stories and have experienced first-hand how the virus has impacted our daily lives and for you, the student, how it has affected your education. As much as things seem outside of your control, you and your classmates have a ton of influence and power in shaping what education should look like moving forward.
So where do you start? How can you get involved in education issues that matter today, and will likely shape our nation’s new future?
Join/start a club or organization at your school
Find out if there is a club or organization at your school that is focused on political organizing. Determine what issues they focus on to see if they align with your values. If they aren’t currently focused on an issue you think is important, ask why?
Follow organizations on social media
Stay up to date on education issues by following organizations with missions and values that align with your views. Here are a few to check out: @ourturnnatl, @edtrust, @naacp, @aclu_nationwide
Volunteer with an organization or political campaign
Identify local and national organizations that support issues that align with your values. Most are looking for volunteers with many different positions to fill ranging from in-person to virtual, varying time commitments, and positions requiring a variety of skills. This is a great way to get smarter on an issue and build some resume-worthy skills.
Sign/start petitions AND contact your local and state reps
Visit change.org to read about how citizen petitions work. Read through the petition and sign those you support. If you don’t find a petition on an issue close to your heart, start one. But don’t stop there, figure out how to contact your local and state representatives to make them aware of the issues you care about.
Keep reading, watching, listening. Keep learning.
It’s not enough to learn about a topic once and claim to be informed. Many topics will continue to evolve and change over time. Make it an active decision to stay informed and to keep learning so that you have the newest knowledge.
Don’t forget to take care of yourself
Realistically, it takes time to change issues. There will be high and low points. You will feel a range of emotions, but remember to take care of yourself. You can find mental health and self-care resources here.