Union Philosophy

The next DTA president needs to slowly build back our union's soft power. Every conversation between a DTA representative, especially the president, and an administrator should have one goal: to protect the member and to make the administrator less likely to start a conversation in the future. We need to systemically question, second guess, offer counter claims, and generally make the member feel protected, whether or not that member is tenured.

Our SLPs, Nurses, Psychologists, Counsellors, and Social Workers are too often treated as an afterthought, when they're important and equal members of our union. Any decisions made regarding these member's work needs to be informed with their input, and the process for change needs to be transparently shared with all stakeholders. 

I believe that as members of the DTA, we are the power in this district. DTA members work in our district for 30-40 years. Superintendents last about five years, board members, generously a decade. We’ve always been the power; we’ve just forgotten how to wield over the last ten or so years. Teaching, nursing, counseling, speech, social work… We do the actual work with the actual kids. We’re the names our kids and parents know. We’re the ones who help kids succeed. We always have been. We just need a leader who recognizes our strength and is creative enough to engage it and employ it to our collective benefit. A leader who listens to our diverse, professional voices. I haven’t forgotten how to build and maintain power.