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Language: English
The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy: Empowered Educators on the Front Lines is a powerful and timely anthology that amplifies the voices of education activists from across the United States who are committed to reimagining what it means to be an educator in today's challenging climate. At its heart, this book is a testament to the unwavering spirit of those who enter the classroom not just to teach, but to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students and the future of our society.
In these pages, readers will find stories of courage, resilience, and resistance—narratives that highlight the importance of holding onto one’s core values amid increasing political, social, and institutional pressures. The educators featured in this compilation don’t just teach curriculum—they build authentic relationships with their students, create inclusive learning environments, and refuse to accept the status quo when it harms the very children they serve.
More than a celebration of individual triumphs, The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy serves as a call to view education through a broader societal lens. It urges educators and readers alike to acknowledge how systemic inequities, policy decisions, and cultural narratives shape our schools and the experiences within them. Without this context, burnout is inevitable and attrition becomes a painful norm.
This book also challenges its audience to think beyond immediate outcomes. The fight for justice and equity in education is a long game—one that may not yield tangible change within a single career or even a single lifetime. But these stories affirm that the work must continue. Educators must rise, speak out, organize, and even disrupt unjust systems to protect the very soul of our democracy.
For new teachers, seasoned educators, and anyone invested in the future of public education, The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy is both a rallying cry and a source of deep inspiration. The work is hard—but these stories prove that it is always worth it. The book is a valuable teaching tool and textbook in a variety of classes for preservice teachers. It also is a great research tool for scholars working in teacher advocacy.
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Chapter 1. “The Intersection is Undeniable”
Melissa Tomlinson
Chapter 2. To Do No Harm
Maureen McGurk
Chapter 3. “Every Voice and Every Person Has Value”
Petal Robertson
Chapter 4. “Progress Comes When We Stand Shoulder to Shoulder”
Tamar La-Sure Owens
Chapter 5. “I Have to Care, and I Have to Be Loud About It!”
Rebecca Rothstein
Chapter 6. “Then You Become an Advocate”
Larry Proffitt
Chapter 7. “If We’re Doing It Right, It Is Messy”
Chelsie Joy Acosta
Chapter 8. The Idea of Being a Troublemaker
Brianne Kramer
Chapter 9. Building Intersectional Struggles
Anonymous
Chapter 10. “It’s Not Going to Get Better Unless . . . ”
Juliana Krueger Dauble
Chapter 11. “What’s the Alternative? Do Nothing?!”
Stephen Siegel
Chapter 12. Ant Work
Marj Hogan
About the Authors
Index
"With the recent gutting of the Department of Education and the continued lack of funds for schools, now more than ever educators need to harness the power of their unions and their broader political voice. The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy: Empowered Educators on the Front Lines explores how educators become activated, finding a version of advocacy that expands outside of normal paycheck or workplace issues to become more holistic and in service of the common good.
Michelle Gunderson, retired Chicago Public School teacher, former trustee for Chicago Teachers Union, and former co-chair of CORE (Caucus of Rank and File Educators)
An important aspect of this book is that it explores many pathways to involve educator advocates. Often education leaders with large personas who make national headlines are the subjects of publications. The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy looks into and encourages the various roles all educators can play in creating socially just schools and communities. One does not need to be at the pinnacle of their career, a charismatic leader, or politically connected to make a difference.
The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy explores personal accounts of education activists who have balanced career and advocacy. It inspires those who dearly love teaching yet are troubled by the continued attack on our schools. Without a doubt, it is a timely, thoughtful, and important look into teacher activism."
"The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy: Empowered Educators on the Front Lines is a must have book for every educator, unionist, and college student hoping to become a teacher. The book offers the reader a powerful journey through what it means to be an educator that is committed to rejecting “racially and socially oppressive profit-driven education reform.” The book’s essayists all offer personal and powerful narratives on what it means to be an educator that values all children, their community, and their future."
Marla Kilfoyle, Retired Educator, Retired Union Official, Former National Board Certified Teacher, Former Executive Director of the Badass Teachers Association
"The Critical Importance of Teacher Advocacy: Empowered Educators on the Front Lines brings together stories of educators who refuse to separate teaching from their fight for justice—teachers who understand advocacy isn’t extra, it’s essential. From organizing against privatization to building Black Lives Matter at School movements, from fighting for immigrant students to challenging harmful systems, this book captures what it means to show up wholly for our students and communities. It honors educators who organize, challenge power, and build the world our students deserve."
Princess Moss, NEA Vice President